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BERKELEY 

LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY    OF 
CALIFORNIA 


V 


The  Sporting  Gallery 
AND  Bookshop,  inc. 


r^ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/frankforrestersfOOherbrich 


o 

CQ 


TRMK  FOEKESTER'S,.^, 

FISHEEMESS'  GUIDE. 


MANUAL  FOR   PEOFESSIONAL    AND    AMA- 
•       TEUER  ANGLERS. 

CONTAININa 

DESCP.IPTIONS  OF  POPULAR  FISHES  AND  THEIR  HAB- 
ITS, PREPARATION  OF  BAITS,  &c.;  WITH  A  LIST 
OF    TOOLS    USED    IN    FISHING;   MAKING 
IT  THE  MOST  COMPLETE  WORK  ON 
THE  SUBJECT  YET  PUBLISHED. 


,NEW  YORK : 

ADVANCE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 

Nos.  3,  4  &  5  Mission  Place,  &  152  Worth  Street. 


INDEX    TO    CONTENTS. 


Baits 8 

Barb 51 

Bass,  Striped 24 

Bass,  Oswego  and  Black. 27 

Bass,  Spotted 31 

Bass,  the  Sea 37 

Bass,  the  White 37 

Black  Fish 58 

Blue  Fish 47 

Cat  Fish 34 

Carp,  the  Buffalo 43 

Cod  Fish 56 

Chub 41 

Canner 50 

Devil  Fish 62 

Eel 51 

Floats 8 

Flounder 55 

Hake 36 

Hooks  (see  back  of  coyer).'. 5  and  6 

Hooks,  fastening  on 63 

King  Fish 51 

Leaders 7 

Lines 4 

Mackerel 60 

Muskellunge 45 

Nets  and  Gaff-hooks 8 


Pastes  for  Bait , 10 

Perch,  Yellow,  &c 17 

Perch,  the  White  or  Silvei 38 

Perch,  the  YeUow  Pike 40 

Perch,  the  Buffalo «.  .  .43 

Perch,  Sea 50 

Pickerel  and  Pike 20 

Pike,  the  Lake « 45 

Pollock 49 

Porgy 37 

Preparing  Baits 9 

Red  Fish 31 

Reels 3 

Repairing  Rods 64 

Rods 3 

Salmon 11 

Shark 61 

Sheepshead 56 

Sinkers  and  Swivels 7 

Smelt - 39 

Sucker 42 

Sun  Fish ,..20 

Tools,  care  of 62 

Trout,  Brook 13 

Trout,  Mackinaw  or  Salmon 31 

Trout,  the  Black 33 

Weak  Fish,  or  Wheat  Fish 4f 


TOOLS   FOK   FISHINO. 


Bods. 

Fishing  rods  are  now  usually  made  from  iL©  bam 
boo,  the  Calcutta  reed,  or  of  ash  wood,  as  it  is  neces 
Bary  they  should  be  made  light,  tough,  and  pliablo 
The  butts  are  frequently  made  of  maple,  with  bored 
bottom ;  and  this  butt  will  outlast  several  tdps.  K-ods 
for  traveller!^  are  made  in  joints,  so  as  to  be  easily 
transported.  The  cost  of  rods  at  the  tackle  stores 
is  $1  50  and  $2  50  up  to  $5  for  ordinary  ones ;  and 
$10,  $15,  $20,  and  even  as  high  as  $50  for  the  best 
and  most  scientific  articles.  Some  of  them  are  made 
to  be  used  as  a  walking  canes  until  needed  for  sport. 
A  perfect  rod  should  gradually  taper  from  end  to  end, 
be  tight  in  all  its  joints,  and  be  equally  and  uniformly 
pliable,  not  bending  in  one  place  more  than  another. 
The  different  lengths  of  rods  required  in  fishing  are 
mentioned  in  describing  the  tackle  used  in  catching 
different  fish.  It  is  therefore  only  necessary  to  say 
that  they  vary  from  12  to  20  feet  in  length. 

Keels. 

Some  sportsmen  do  not  consider  reels  necessary 
but  this  is  because  they  have  either  never  used  them, 
vr  never  had  a  good  article.     American  made  reels 


M8164S1 


i  TOOLS    USED    IN    FISHING. 

are  now  considered  tlie  best  in  the  market,  particu- 
larly for  taking  large  fish.  The  smaller  English  reel 
will  do  verj  well  for  trout  fishing.  There  are  two 
kinds,  viz. :  the  plain  reel,  and  the  multiplying  reel. 
Some  prefer  the  former;  but  the  multiplying  reel 
iaves  a  good  deal  of  time,  and  is  easily  worked 
when  you  get  accustomed  to  it.  Reels  are  made  of 
brass,  and  of  German  silver.  Either  article  is  as 
good  as  the  other. 

Lines. 

Lines  are  made  of  India  grass,  of  silk  alone,  silk 
and  hair,  of  hemp,  of  flax,  and  of  cotton.  Gut  lines 
are  also  made,  but  are  not  easily  managed.  The  best 
trout  lines  are  made  of  India  grass,  though  silk,  or 
silk  and  hair  are  frequently  used  in  trout  fishing. 
Trout  lines  are  usually  from  eight  to  eighteen  yards 
long,  and  of  various  degrees  of  fineness  according  to 
the  size  of  the  fish  angled  for,  or  clearness  of  the 
stream.  Salmon,  bass,  and  pickerel  lines  are  made 
from  hemp,  flax,  silk,  grass  or  hair,  and  vary  in 
length  from  30  to  150  yards.  Cotton  and  hemp  lines 
are  made  for  trolling  purposes,  and  for  fishing  sea- 
fish  generally.  The  length  of  these  will  vary  ac- 
cording to  the  condition  or  depth  of  your  fishing 
grounds.  The  size  of  all  lines  should  vary  according 
to  the  state  of  the  streams  or  size  of  your  fish.  Clear 
streams  require  as  small  lines  as  will  answer  the  pur- 
pose. If  you  have  a  good  multiplying  reel,  the  line 
shou^  i  be  as  long  as  the  reel  will  carry. 


TOOLS    USED    IN    FISHING. 


Hooks. 


T^e  old  KIrby  hook  is  now  generally  superseded 
by  'he  Limerick,  which  is  considered  the  best  fish 
hock  made.  We  subjoin  the  different  sizes  and  nura- 
beii,  which  will  be  hereafter  referred  to  in  these 
paf;es.  In  cases  where  we  have  recommended  tha 
Kirby,  you  will  find  tlie~size  of  that  hook  to  corres- 
pond exactly  with  the  numbers  of  the  Limerick. 
The  trout  hook  is  used  for  the  small  fry,  while  the 
salmon  hook  is  attached  to  the  tackle  for  catching 
tVat  fish,  and  also  other  large  lake  and  river  fish, 
r  ^ak-fish,  &c. 


limericb:  trout  hook. 


TOOLS   USED   IN    FISHING. 


LIMERICK    SALMON    HOOK. 

Besides  the  regular  Limerick  and  Kirby  hooks, 
whose  sizes  and  numbers  correspond  with  the  fore- 
going plates,  we  have  given  on  the  cover  of  this 
work  a  plate  of  "  black-fish  hooks,"  of  different  pat- 
terns and  sizes  for  bottom  fishing — also  pickerel 
hooks,  the  snap-spring  hook,  &c.,  with  numbers  and 
explanations.  You  should  examine  the  point  and 
barb  of  each  hook  to  see  that  it  is  perfect,  and  file 
it  if  it  is  not.    Always  have  a  small  file  with  you. 


TOOLS    USED    IN    FISHING.  7 

Sinkers  and  Swivels. 

The  ordinary  plain  sinker  is  made  of  lead,  shaped 
iriund  like  a  pipe-stem,  and  swelling  out  in  the 
middle.  There  are  loops  of  brass  wire  on  either  end 
to  attach  the  line.  The  weight  is  from  a  quarter  of 
an  ounce  for  trout  fishing  up  to  a  couple  of  pounds 
or  more  for  sea  bass  and  porgies.  The  swivel  sinker 
is  similar  to  the  plain  one,  except  that  instead  of 
loops,  there  are  swivels  on  each  end  to  attach  the 
line.  This  is  a  decided  improvement,  as  it  prevents 
the  line  from  twisting  and  tangling.  In  trolling, 
swivel  sinkers  are  indispensable.  The  slide  sinker, 
for  bot&om  fishing,  is  a  leaden  tube  which  allows  the 
line  to  slip  through  it,  when  the  fish  bites.  This  is 
an  excellent  arrangement,  inasmuch  as  you  feel  the 
smallest  bite,  whereas  in  the  other  case  the  fish  must 
first  move  the  sinker  before  you  feel  him.  Split  shot 
are  sometimes  put  on  trout  lines  in  place  of  a  sinker. 
Independent  swivels  are  useful  in  some  kinds  of 
fishing  to  prevent  the  entanglement  of  your  line. 

Leaders.  ^ 

The  silk-worm  gut  is  almost  imperceptible  in  wa- 
ter, and  for  leaders  therefore  is  the  best  possible  sub- 
stance. The  gut  is  taken  from  the  worm  just  as  it 
is  ready  to  spin,  and  its  size  varies  with  the  size  of  the 
insect,  some  being  as  fine  as  a  horse-hair,  and  others 
ten  times  that  size.  The  strands  are  usually  from 
nine  inches  to  two  feet  lq  length,  and  are  just  suited 
o  leaders.     The  tackle  stores  supply  these  leaders, 


8  TOOLS    USED    IN    FISHKNa. 

with  hooks  fastened  to  them,  and  with  loops  ready 
to  attach  to  your  line.  The  best  gut  leaders  are  of 
Spanish  manufacture.  Leaders  of  twisted  horse-hair, 
or  of  grass,  are  used  when  gut  cannot  be  obtained, 
but  they  should  be  made  as  light  as  possible. 

Floats. 
A  verj  light  float  should  be  used  for  trout  if  you 
use  any  at  all.  It  is  made  from  quills  or  cork.  For 
pickerel,  salmon,  bass,  &c.,  you  should  get  floats 
made  from  hollow  red  cedar,  which  are  very  light 
and  appropriate.  Cork  will  answer  if  you  cannot 
procure  the  cedar. 

Other  Tools. 

Nets  for  landing  your  fish,  nets  for  carrying  bait^ 
gafl'-hooks,  and  clearing  rings  are  among  the  "tools" 
of  the  angler,  and  can  be  procured  at  the  tackle 
stores.  They  are  sometimes  very  useful.  The  gaff- 
hook  is  used  to  land  your  fish  in  cases  where  the 
landing  net  is  impracticable.  It  is  a  large  hook 
fastened  to  a  hickory  handle.  The  clearing  ring  is 
a  stout  ring  to  encircle  your  line,  and  send  down  and 
clear  it.  It  opens  with  a  hinge,  and  weighs  five  to 
eight  ounces. 

Baits. 

The  common  angle-worm  is  a  universal  bait  for 
fresh  water  angling.  They  grow  almost  everywhere 
except  in  sandy  soils.     The  common  white  grub  if 


BAITS.  9 

jtlso  used  successfully  in  trout  fishing.  They  are 
found  in  fresh  ploughed  earth,  and  under  old  stumps, 
decaying  foliage,  &c.  The  grasshopper  is  also  good 
for  trout  in  his  season.  The  trout  or  salmon  spawn 
will  attract  trout  quicker  than  any  other  possible 
bait,  but  it  is  not  always  to  be  had.  Catapillars,  flies, 
locusts,  beetles,  &c.,  are  good  for  trout. 

Live  bait  consists  of  the  minnow,  the  shiner,  (or 
mullet,)  the  gold-fish,  and  other  small  fish.  Ponds 
of  these  fish  are  kept  by  those  who  furnish  baits,  and 
by  some  habitual  sportsmen. 

The  frog  is  an  excellent  bait  for  pickerel.  They 
are  sometimes  used  whole,  but  in  cases  where  you 
use  the  hind  legs  only,  they  should  be  skinned. 

For  salt-water  fishing,  the  shrimp  is  the  leading 
bait.  The  shedder-crab,  in  its  season,  is  most  excel- 
lent, particularly  for  striped  bass.  The  soft-shell 
clam,  cut  in  small  pieces,  is  a  good  bait  for  many 
kinds  of  sea  fish.  The  horse-mackerel,  or  small  blue 
fish  is  an  excellent  bait.  Where  the  tide  runs  swift, 
use  the  tail,  leaving  on  the  fins. 

Preparing  Baits. — ^We  have  before  said  that 
salmon-roe  was  an  excellent  bait  for  trout.  The  roe 
of  large  trout  or  salmon-trout  is  just  as  good.  These 
are  tempting  baits  for  many  other  fresh  water  fish 
besides  the  trout.  Old  fishermen  preserve  it  as  fol- 
lows :  First  put  it  in  warm  water,  not  hot  enough  to 
scald  much — then  separate  the  membranous  films — 
rinse  it  well  in  cold  water  and  hang  it  up  to  dry. 
The  next  day  salt  it  with  two  ounces  of  salt  and  a 


10  BAITS. 

quarter  of  an  ounce  of  saltpetre  to  the  pound  of  roe. 
Let  it  stand  another  day  and  then  spread  it  to  dry. 
When  it  becomes  stiff  put  it  in  small  pots,  pouring 
over  each  some  melted  mutton  tallow.  You  can  then 
use  a  pot  of  preparation  as  you  may  want  it  for  bait 
It  is  excellent  for  trout,  and  indeed  for  almost  any 
fry  in  fresh  water. 

Angle- worms  are  thus  prepared :  Take  a  lot  of 
common  moss  and  wash  it  in  clean  water,  press  it 
until  nearly  dry,  then  put  it  in  an  earthen  pot  with 
your  worms.  In  a  few  days  the  worms  will  look 
exceedingly  bright,  and  be  tough  and  active.  If  you 
wish  to  preserve  them  longer,  you  have  only  to  take 
out  the  moss,  wash  it,  sponge  it,  and  return  it  to  the 
pot.  Repeat  this  process  every  three  or  four  days 
and  your  worms  will  be  in  excellent  condition  as  long 
as  you  desire  to  keep  them. 

Pastes  for  Bait. — The  English  are  famous  for 
paste  baits,  some  of  which  are  made  as  follows : 
Shrimp  paste  is  made  from  shrimps,  being  prepared 
in  every  respect  similar  to  the  salmon-roe,  before 
given.  Wheat,  rye,  barley  and  other  grains,  soaked 
in  water,  and  then  boiled  in  milk,  are  good  baits  for 
small  fish  in  still  water.  Soft  bread  and  honey, 
kneaded  together,  is  a  good  bait.  Grated  cheese 
worked  into  paste  with  soft  bread,  honey,  and  saflfron, 
is  frequently  used.  Tallow  chandlers'  scraps,  fresh 
scalded  to  separate  the  slimy  particles — these  parti- 
cles are  then  mixed  with  clay  and  bran,  and  are  a 
j^'ood  ground  bait.     It  is  only  good  when  fresh  made^ 


FI  SH  INa. 


The  Salmon. 
This  most  delicious  of  fish  sometimes  grows  to 
an  immense  size  for  a  frequenter  of  fresh  water. 
Some  isolated  specimens  in  Scotland  are  said  to  have 
attained  from  seventy  to  eight»y  pounds.  The  usual 
length  of  the  salmon,  however,  is  from  two  to  three 
and  a  half  feet,  and  its  weight  varies  from  twenty  to 
thirty-two  pounds.  They  are  of  a  silvery  gray  color 
on  the  sides,  spotted  with  irregular  reddish  spots — 
the  belly  is  white,  and  the  back  a  dark  blue.  When 
first  taken  from  the  water  its  colors  are  beautiful. 
Salmon  begin  to  run  up  certain  Northern  rivers  in 
April,  and  stay  there  until  the  latter  end  of  July, 
when  they  return  to  the  sea.  It  is  while  thus  run- 
ning that  they  are  taken  by  anglers  and  salmon  fish- 
ermen. They  deposit  their  spawn  at  the  extreme 
point  that  they  reach  on  the  river,  and  by  the  time 
they  return,  the  young  fry  are  ready  to  return  with 
them.  The  same  young  ones  follow  their  parents  up 
the  river  the  year  following,  having  grown  to  be 
about  six  inches  in  length.  At  the  end  of  the  second 
year  they  weigh  from  five  to  seven  pounds,  and  it 
takes  them  six  years  to  attain  their  growth. 


12  SALMON    FISHING. 

The  salmon,  like  the  trout,  is  timid  and  easily 
frightened.  When  they  become  alarmed  they  move 
very  rapidly  in  the  water,  and  go  a  great  distance 
without  stopping.  It  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  be 
extremely  cautious  in  fishing  them,  and  requires  skill 
and  perseverence.  The  most  wary  and  scientific 
anglers  have  their  patience  tried  in  taking  this  fish, 
whose  instinct  leads  it  to  astonishingly  artful  and 
singular  efforts  to  escape.  The  feeding  grounds  of 
the  salmon  are  swift  streams,  and  deep  lakes,  with 
gravelly  and  pebbly  bottoms,  where  there  are  easy 
outlets  to  the  sea.  The  time  for  fishing  them  is  early 
in  the  morning  or  late'in  the  afternoon,  and  they  may 
be  taken  from  May  until  August.  In  the  first  of  the 
season,  worms,  small  fish,  or  shrimp  is  the  usual  bait; 
but  in  July  and  August  they  are  partial  to  the  fly. 

The  tackle  used  for  salmon  should  combine 
strength  with  imperceptibility.  A  large  sized  reel 
is  necessary,  with  some  two  hundred  yards  of  line 
made  of  silk  and  hair  combined,  or  a  grass  line  is 
sometimes  used.  The  leader  should  be  foitr  or  five 
feet  long,  made  of  twisted  gut,  and  with  a  swivel 
sinker,  or  a  swivel  alone  in  fly  fishing.  The  rod 
should  be  fifteen  to  eighteen  feet  long,  and  elastic  at 
the  end.  The  proper  hook  for  worm  and  live  bait 
is  the  Kirby  and  Limerick  pattern,  Nos.  0  to  4 ;  and 
Nos.  0  to  3  in  fly  fishing.  Fishing  with  artificial  flies 
is  often  very  successful,  the  flies  being  made  of  gray 
and  gaudy  feathers.  They  are  sold  at  all  the  fishing 
tackle  stores  in  New  York. 


o 

M 
o 
o 


TROUT   FISHING.  13 

Spearing  tlie  salmon  is  practised  at  night,  with 
torches,  by  professional  fishermen,  but  seldom  by 
sportsmen  or  amateurs. 

The  Trout. 

Trout,  which  are  caught  in  the  numerous  running 
streams  of  the  United  States,  vary  in  color,  appear- 
ance and  size  with  the  quality  of  the  soil  pertaining 
to  the  streams  they  inhabit.  They  generally  have 
red  and  yellow  spots  on  their  sides — concave  tail, 
and  belly  tinged  with  orange  red.  They  have  large 
eyes,  a  wide  mouth,  sharp  teeth,  and  scaleless  skin. 
The  usual  weight  of  brook  trout  is  from  one  to  four 
pounds.  Another  species  caught  in  New  England 
are  dotted  on  the  back  with  shaded  brownish  spots, 
and  the  fins  are  tinged  with  yellow.  The  fish  called 
"  black  trout,"  which  are  found  m  sluggish  muddy 
streams,  does  not  belong  properly  to  the  species. 
Trout  will  vary  as  much  in  shape  and  flavor,  as  in 
the  color.  They  spawn  in  September  and  October, 
and  the  time  for  taking  them  is  in  the  Spring  and 
Summer.  You  may  fish  for  trout  until  the  20th  Au- 
gust, though  the  finest  ones  are  taken  in  the  months 
of  May  and  June.  They  bile  the  best  in  March  and 
April. 

You  can  hook  trout  in  several  ways.  Some  prefer 
fly  fishing,  and  this  is  the  most  interesting  mode  in 
Summer.  The  rod  to  be  used  should  be  light,  and 
the  line  made  of  hair,  or  silk  and  grass..  The  fly 
ehould  be  placed  on  a  length  of  gut,  or  a  single  light 


14  TROUT    FISHING. 

hair.  Do  not  fish  with  your  back  to  the  sun.  Stand 
as  far  from  the  stream  as  circumstances  will  allow. 
Always  throw  your  line  from  you — never  whip  it 
out.  Fly  fishing  is  only  suitable  for  pleasant  weather. 
The  best  time  of  day  is  early  in  the  morning  or  just 
at  sunset.  The  line  should  b^,  about  half  as  long 
again  as  the  rod.  It  should  be  thrown  up  stream, 
and  let  the  fly  gradually  float  down,  and  if  possible 
fall  into  the  eddies  where  the  fish  is  apt  to  retreat  in 
case  of  alarm.  Let  your  line  fall  into  the  stream 
lightly  and  natural4y,  and  when  you  raise  it,  do  so 
gently  and  by  degrees. 

In  trout  fishing  with  the  fly,  only  a  small  part  of 
the  line  is  allowed  to  be  in  the  water.  The  end,  oi 
leader,  should,  as  before  stated,  be  a  single  light  hair, 
if  you  can  get  one,  as  the  trout  is  extremely  shy  and 
suspicious.  If  you  stand  on  the  bank  of  the  stream, 
throw  your  line  as  far  up  as  possible,  as  you  cannot 
expect  to  catch  a  trout  opposite  or  below  where 
you  are  standing.  If  bushes  intervene  between 
you  and  the  stream,  (which  is  all  the  better,)  do  not 
rustle  them  or  make  a  noise. 

The  usual  length  of  a  rod  for  trouting  is  fourteen 
feet,  though  longer  or  shorter  ones  may  be  used,  ac- 
cording to  fancy  or  convenience.  The  bottom  of 
the  line,  unless  you  have  a  light  hair,  should  be 
strong  silk- worm  gut.  The  size  of  the  hook  will  de- 
pend upon  your  flies.  Nos.  4  and  5  are  used  for 
worms  and  beetles,  and  7  to  9  for  small  flies.  If  the 
flies  are  too  small,  put  two  on  the  hook,  as  these  in- 


TROUT    FISHING.  15 

sects  frequently  fall  into  the  water  in  couples.  The 
largest  and  best  trout  lie  in  shallow  water,  faced  up 
stream,  or  else  they  lie  near  the  surface.  They  are 
found  on  the  South,  or  shady  side  of  the  stream.  It 
is  necessary  to  be  exceedingly  cautious  not  to  show 
yourself,  as  if  they  see  you  they  vanish  for  the  day 
Grasshoppers  and  other  small  field  insects  are  fre 
quently  used  with  success  when  worms  fail. 

Worm  Fishing  for  trout  is  practiced  with  similar 
caution.  After  a  rain,  when  the  water  of  the  brook 
is  a  little  riley,  you  can  catch  trout  by  this  mode — 
sometimes  very  rapidly.  It  is  usually  practiced  in 
the  spring.  A  single  split  shot  will  generally  be 
enough  lo  sink  your  line,  unless  the  stream  is  deep 
and  rapid.  The  rod  should  be  of  bamboo,  16  to  20 
feet  long,  and  the  line  shorter  than  the  rod.  Keep 
the  point  of  your  rod  exactly  above  the  bait,  steadily 
following  it,  as  the  bait  drags  along  the  bottom. 
When  the  fish  takes  the  bait,  do  not  let  him  run  Avith 
it,  but  keep  a  steady  hand.  Do  not  jerk,  but  play 
gradually  with  him.  If  the  day  be  clear,  and  the 
stream  shallow,  the  best  way  is  to  wade  up  the  stream 
cautiously,  throwing  your  line  far  up,  and  letting  it 
come  gradually  towards  you.  The  fish  always  heads 
up  stream,  and  you  should  not  fail  to  remember  if  he 
once  sees  you  he  he  vanishes. 

Bottom  Fishing  with  blue-bottle  flies  is  practiced 
as  follows :  Use  a  silk  or  fine  hair  line,  with  gut 
leader,  and  a  small  quill  float.  Hook  No.  10  is  about 
the  proper  size.     You  will  want  one  or  two  split  shot 


16  TROUT   FISHING. 

on  the  line.  Fill  a  glass  bottle  with  the  comiaon 
blue-bottle  fly  found  on  fresh  horse  or  cow  dung- 
Bait  your  hook  with  two  of  these  flies,  and  let  it  sink 
nearly  to  the  bottom.  In  this  way  you  may  catch 
trout  in  ponds,  or  deep  waters  deposited  by  running 
streams,  and  often  in  the  slack  water  of  mill  dams, 
when  you  could  not  catch  them  in  the  stream  itself. 
.This  kind  of  trout  fishing  is  practiced  in  July  and 
August.  When  the  fish  has  taken  the  bait,  play  him 
towards  the  top  of  the  water  always.  Do  not  let 
him  tangle  your  line  in  the  weeds  or  under-brush. 

The  fin  of  a  trout,  or  other  small  fish,  is  sometimes 
used  as  a  bait  for  trout  with  good  success.  It  is 
dropped  and  roved,  as  with  a  minnow  or  fly. 

Brook  trouting  is  the  very  poetry  of  angling.  It 
is  an  intellectual  amusement,  ^too,  and  requires  as 
much  caution,  calculation,  and  prescience  as  a  game 
of  chess — as  fine  touches  of  art  as  are  necessary  to 
perfect  a  picture  or  a  statue.  Through  the  meadow, 
where  the  rivulet,  scarce  a  sti-ide  across,  glides  si- 
lently through  the  grass ;  along  the  gravelly  bottom, 
where  it  sings  and  gurgles  among  the  pebbles; 
through  the  gaps  between  the  stony  lidges,  where 
it  chafes  and  dances  and  raises  its  tiny  roar  among 
the  splintered  rocks;  and  across  the  woods,  where  it 
turns,  and  doubles,  and  feigns  to  sleep  in  quiet  pools, 
the  trouter  must  pursue 

"  The  noUelesa  tenor  of  hi/i  way." 

In  every  promising  nook,  on  every  inviting  eddy, 
at  the  foot  of  every  mimic  cataract — in  fact,  in  every 


DIFFERENT   SPECIES   OF    PERCH.  17 

spot  where  a  trout  would  be  likely  to  resort  for  fun, 
or  food,  or  privacy — his  fly  must  settle.  After  each 
deposit  in  his  "creel,"  he  may  look  around  and  ad- 
mire the  prospect,  open  his  ears  to  the  song  of  the 
spring  birds,  and  sniff  up  the  delightful  odors  which 
the  world  exhales  in  turning  green.  But  all  these 
things  are  to  the  trout  fisher  as  if  they  were  not, 
while  he  is  professionally  engaged ;  it  is  only  in  the 
pauscvs  of  his  art  that  he  ventures  upon  a  parentheti- 
cal glance  at  the  general  features  of  the  landscape. 
His  basket  filled,  however,  he  has  leisure  to  be  sen- 
timental, and  can  sit  down  on  a  fence  and  invoke  the 
muses,  if  he  happens  to  have  the  gift  of  jingle. 

Perch. 

There  are  four  distinct  specimens  of  this  fish  in- 
habiting American  waters,  viz. :  the  Common  Perch, 
the  Yellow  Perch,  the  White  Perch,  and  the  Black 
or  Red  Perch.  The  Common  Ferch  is  of  brown 
olive  tinge,  mingled  Avith  golden  hue,  and  has  dark 
bands  across  its  sides.  The  first  dorsal  fin  is  larger 
than  the  second,  and  all  the  fins  are  tinged  with  a 
lively  red  when  first  taken  from  the.  water.  Length 
usually  from  five  to  fifteen  inches.  The  Yellow 
Perch  averages  a  little  larger  in  size,  with  a  small 
head  tapering  towards  its  mouth.  Its  jaws  contain  a 
large  number  of  minute  teeth.  Its  back  is  of  olive 
brown  color — sides  yellow,  and  belly  white.  The 
stripes  across  its  sides  are  brown,  as  are  also  its  dor- 
sal and  pectoral  fins.  The  ventral  and  anal  fins  are 
2 


18  TIME    FOR   FISHING    PERCH 

of  beautiful  scaxlet  color.  The  W7iite  Perch  has 
double  nostrils  and  minute  teeth.  Its  geieral  color 
13  whitish,  with  a  dark  hue — ^pale  back  and  white 
sides — eyes  large  and  pale.  Its  length  is  usually 
about  eight  inches.  Black  or  Red  Perch  are  so  called 
from  the  different  appearance  of  the  fish  at  different 
times.  Just  previous  to  the  breeding  season  it  is  of 
a  dark  red  tinge.  After  getting  entirely  througVi 
spawning  it  becomes  so  dark  that  the  red  nearly  dis- 
appears. Its  tail  is  slightly  forked,  and  its  jaws  are 
set  with  fine  sharp  teeth.  In  the  Western  States  this 
fish  grows  to  the  length  of  two  feet,  and  is  known  as 
the  Brown  Bass.  They  are  an  excellent  fish  for 
eating  and  are  easily  taken.  The  perch  is  a  bold 
and  ravenous  fish,  and  fears  neither  the  pike,  the 
bass,  or  any  other  enemies  of  the  small  fry.  He  ih' 
sometimes  eaten  by  them,  but  very  seldom,  in  con- 
sequence of  his  back  fin  being  large  and  armed  with 
bristling  points. 

.  Perch  are  taken  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  I  at  are 
in  the  best  condition  for  the  table  in  April,  May, 
June  and  July.  They  spawn  in  March,  aro  very 
slow  in  growth,  but  multiply  exceedingly  fast.  The 
best  time  to  fish  for  them  is  in  the  morning  before 
ten  o^clock,  and  late  in  the  afternoon.  Perch  being 
sociable  fish,  usually  move  together  in  numben?,  and 
these  are  generally  of  a  nearly  similar  size.  If, 
therefore,  you  catch  one  in  a  particular  hole,  it  is 
your  own  fault  if  you  do  not  get  a  good  string  of 
them  from  the  same  place. 


PERCH    FISHING.  19 

A  light  stiff  rod,  with  short  line,  float  and  sinker, 
is  all  that  is  necessary  for  perch.  The  usual  bait  is 
the  common  angleworm,  which  they  will  take  as  soon 
as  anything.  Shad  spawn  is  sometimes  used  in  the 
shad  season,  and  minnows  in  the  Spring  of  the  year. 
When  the  stream  in  which  you  are  fisliing  runs  into 
salt  water,  shrimp  will  be  found  a  good  bait.  Hooks 
to  be  used  are  Limerick  trout,  Nos.  4  to  7,  according 
to  the  size  of  your  fish. 

The  Yellow  Ferchf  which  is  very  plenty  in  the 
North  Western  waters  of  the  United  States,  attains 
a  large  growth  in  the  Lakes — some  of  them  weighing 
three  pounds  and  more.  In  the  streams  and  ponds, 
from  half  to  three  quarters  of  a  pound  are  the  com- 
mon weights.  They  are  caught  there  at  all  seasons. 
Expert  anglers  use  the  minnow  in  catching  perch, 
and  early  in  the  season  they  will  bite  very  readily 
at  that  bait.  Impale  the  minnow  alive  and  lively  on 
a  No.  9  trout  hook — stick  the  hook  either  under  the 
back  fin  or  through  the  upper  lip — use  a  few  shots 
for  a  sinker  about  ten  inches  from  the  hook,  and  have 
a  cork  large  enough  to  prevent  the  minnow  from 
sinking  it.  With  this  arrangement  you  must  fix 
your  line  to  keep  the  bait  about  mid-water.  Small 
live  frogs  are  frequently  used  for  perch  with  suc- 
cess, fixed  in  the  same  way  as  the  minnow. 

The  best  way  to  cook  perch  is  to  fry  them  in  pork 
fat,  first  frying  some  salt  pork  in  the  pan.  Pork  fat 
procured  in  this  way  is  superior  to  lard  or  butter  m 
frying  any  kind  of  fish. 


20  SUN-FISH    AND    PICKKREL. 

The  Sun-fish. 
This  is  a  small  yellow  and  brown  fish,  with  colors 
similar  to  the  yelloAv  perch,  but  without  the  shades — 
fins  tinged  with  scarlet.  Its  shape  is  broad  and  flat 
like  a  pumpkin  seed,  and  in  some  places  the  fish  is 
known  by  that  name.  They  are  usually  from  three 
to  eight  inches  long — though  in  sortie  streams  in 
the  Western  States  a  kind  are  found  which  exceed 
a  foot  in  length.  They  are  caught  with  the  angle- 
worm, in  the  same  manner  as  the  perch.  They  bite 
very  rapidly,  and  hence  ladies  on  pic-nic  parties  are 
particularly  fond  of  fishing  sun-fish. 

Pickerel  and  Pike. 

Pickerel  are  found  in  almost  all  the  fresh  waters 
of  the  United  States.  They  are  a  sort  of  miniature 
fresh  water  shark,  preying  upon  every  living  thing 
that  they  can  master.  This  fish  is  very  similar  'to 
the  pickerel  of  Europe  and  other  parts  of  the  earth. 
It  swims  alone — is  never  seen  in  shoals — and  its  ap- 
pearance in  any  particular  locality  is  a  signal  for  the 
sudden  dispersion  of  the  small  fry.  Pickerel  have 
pertain  haunts,  and  though  they  usually  move  inde- 
pendent of  each  other,  yet  expert  anglers  will  catch 
a  considerable  number.  But  to  catch  "  a  string  of 
pickerel"  is  a  good  day*s  work.  They  grow  very 
fast  ,when  they  have  an  abundance  of  food,  often 
reaching  a  foot  in  length  the  first  year,  and  will 
double  their  size  in  two  years  more.  They  have 
been  known  as  heavy  as  forty  pounds  and  upwardsi 


PICKEREL   FISHING.  21 

thougli  the  usual  fish  is  from  three  to  twelve  pounds. 
Rennie  tells  of  a  pickerel  that  was  placed  in  a  pond 
"  with  an  abundance  of  other  fish,"  and  in  one  yeai 
it  devoured  the 'whole  of  them  except  a  carp  weigh- 
ing nine  pounds,  and  it  had  bitten  a  piece  out  of»him  ! 

Pickerel  are  fond  of  shady  places,  and  in  summer 
they  frequent  the  parts  of  the  stream  nearly  where 
the  pickerel  weed  grows.  They  generally  spawn  in 
March  or  April,  and  earlier  in  some  southern  streams. 
In  winter  they  get  under  rocks,  or  stumps,  or  into 
convenient  deep  holes,  and  they  can  be  taken  then 
with  small  live  fish  for  bait.  In  rivers  you  can  gene- 
rally catch  pickerel  near  the  mouth  of  some  small 
stream  emptying  into  the  river ;  the  fall  of  the  year 
is  the  best  time  for  catching  them.  In  the  hot  sum- 
mer months  they  will  seldom  bite  at  all,  except  per- 
haps in  a  very  windy  day.  In  the  fall,  too,  they  are 
in  better  condition.  Pickerel  fishing  in  the  spring  is 
sometimes  very  successful,  however,  though  the  fish 
are  not  so  good  when  breeding.  It  is  a  singular  fact 
that  small  fish  seem  to  be  perfectly  aware  of  the 
harmlessness  of  the  pickerel  in  the  summer,  as  they 
may  often  be  seen  sporting  near  where  their  deadly 
enemy  lies  still  in  the  water,  as  if  in  a  dreamy  torpor. 
At  this  period  their  usual  beautiful  green  color  and 
bright  yellow  spots  are  dull  and  leaden.  In  the  more 
northern  waters  they  are  sometimes  taken  as  early  as 
August  in  good  condition. 

The  tackle  used  for  pickerel  is  a  pretty  stiff  10 
foot  rod,  with  a  reel,  and  some  50  or  60  yards  of  flax 


22  PICKEREL   FISHING. 

line,  which  should  be  protected  by  the  hook  with 
ghnp  or  wire.  The  Limerick  or  Kirby  sahnon  hook 
is  used.  The  size  is  0  to  5,  according  to  the  size  of 
the  fish.  In  a  running  stream,  the  sinker  and  float 
will  also  be  found  necessary.  The  bait  should  be  a 
small  live  fish,  or  frog,  or  the  hind  leg  of  a  frog 
skinned.  Worms  are  sometimes  used  in  small  streams^ 
where  the  water  is  clear,  and  the  game  small.  In 
using  live  bait,  when  the  pickerel  takes  it,  do  not 
draw  your  line  too  quick.  The  bait  itself,  if  properly 
impaled,  will  be  very  lively,  and  will  be  apt  to  make 
a  violent  effort  to  escape  its  enemy.  Inexperienced 
anglers  may  take  this  movement  for  a  veritable  bite ; 
but  when  the  bite  comes,  there  is  no  mistaking  it.  In 
impaling  a  small  fish  for  bait,  pass  the  hook  under 
the  back  fin,  just  under  the  roots  of  its  rays.  This 
will  not  disable  the  fish,  and  it  will  appear  lively  in 
the  water.  When  using  live  frog  bait,  you  pass  the 
hook  through  the  skin  of  the  back  or  belly,  or  the 
back  muscle  of  the  hind  legs.  The  live  frog  is  gen 
erally  used  on  the  top  of  the  water — if  not,  you 
should  let  him  rise  occasionally  to  take  the  air. 
When  the  pickerel  has  seized  your  bait,  give  him 
plenty  of  time  to  swallow  it,  and  also  plenty  of  line. 
Sometimes  he  will  hold  it  in  his  mouth  and  plaly  with 
it  before  gorging.  On  bringing  him  to  land,  be 
careful  of  his  jaws,  for  he  has  a  set  of  teeth,  sharp 
as  needles. 

Trolling  for  pickerel  is  decidedly  an  exciting  and 
interesting  sport  if  you  have  good  and  large  game- 


PICKERKL    FISHING.  23 

A  small  sail  boat,  or  skiff  is  used,  with  an  attendant 
to  manage  the  boat  as  jou  direct.  You  can  use  the 
live  bait,  or  an  artificial  bait,  as  is  most  conrenieht- 
Some  sportsmen  are  very  fortunate  with  the  artificial 
bait.  A  stiff  rod  and  reel,  with  the  same  tackle  as 
before  described,  and  no  sinker — is  all  that  is  requi- 
site. The  boat  should  move  gently,  and  let  your 
line  drag  far  in  the  rear.  With  artificial  bait  the  fish 
is  hooked  almost  instantly.  If  you  use  live  bait,  be 
exceedingly  careful  in  determining  when  the  fish  has 
gorged  it.  You  should  give  him  several  minutes 
after  he  has  seized  it,  for  this  purpose.  On  seeing  the 
bait,  a  pickerel  will  generally  run  off  with  it,  and 
will  then  stop  to  gorge  it,  but  does  not  always  do  so. 
The  sign  that  he  has  swallowed  it  is  a  peculiar  slack- 
ening, of  the  line,  which  experienced  anglers  can 
easily  understand.  But  if  he  has  gorged  the  bait, 
he  will  soon  start  off  a  second  time,  and  sometimes 
will  stop  and  start  off  the  third  time.  .  In  these  cases 
you  should  never  be  in  a  hurry.  When  you  are  con- 
vinced that  he  has  taken  down  the  bait,  draw  a  tight 
line,  and  strike  for  your  fish.  If  he  is  large  you 
should  play  with  him  until  he  is  quite  exhausted,  or 
you  may  lose  him  in  the  attempt  to  land.  The  diffi- 
culty of  taking  a  pickerel  from  the  hook  may  be  ob- 
viated in  a  measure  by  gagging.  For  this  porpose' 
some  anglers  provide  themselves  with  prepared 
sticks,  of  various  lengths.  If  the  heck  is  completely 
swallowed,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  open  the  stomach 
hi  the  middle,  cut  away  the  hook,  and  unslipping  the 


24  THE   STRIPED    BASS. 

knot  that  holds  the  gimp,  draw  it  out  that  way  rathei 
than  through  the  mouth. 

In  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio  rivers  there  are  several 
species  of  this  fish,  but  they  all  resemble  the  picke- 
rel of  other  waters  in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  They 
are  of  all  sizes  from  half  a  pound  up  to  twenty 
pounds  weight. 

The  Striped  Bass. 

This  excellent  fish  is  found  all  along  the  Atlantic 
coast,  from  Florida  to  Maine.  It  inhabits  the  rivers, 
bays,  inlets  and  creeks ;  and  is  taken  in  great  abun- 
dance, particularly  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay  and  its 
tributaries.  There,  it  frequently  grows  to  the  length 
of  three,  four,  and  even  five  .feet,  and  weighing,  in 
some  instances,  full  one  hundred  pounds !  The 
striped  bass  will  run  up  some  rivers  a  hundred  miles 
or  more,  and  in  Maine  they  are  found  quite  plentiful 
in  the  Penobscot.  In  the  Connecticut,  too,  some 
very  fine  ones  are  taken.  In  winter  they  still  keep 
their  haunts,  and  do  not  go  into  deep  water  like  other 
fish  of  similar  habits.  The  word  (bass)  is  said  to  be 
a  Dutch  name,  signifying  perch ;  but  it  little  resem- 
bles the  fish  we  know  by  that  name.  The  bass  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  fish  in  point  of  color  and 
perfect  symetry  that  swims,  and  next  to  the  salmon 
is  the  most  delicious  for  the  table. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  the  striped  bass  runs  up 
the  rivers  and  into  other  fresh  water  places  to  spawn 
—and  then  again  late  in  the  fall  to  shelter.     The 


THE    STRIP KD    BASS  25 

fall  run  Is  the  best.  It  can  be  taken,  however,  nearly 
all  tlie  year  round,  and  of  all  sizes. 

The  apparatus  for  bass  fislnng  is  a  pliable  rod  from 
12  to  IS  feet  in  length,  according  to  circumstances. 
The  reel  should  have  200  to  300  feet  of  line,  which 
may  be  made  of  flax  or  grass.  Silk  hue  is  some- 
times used.  The  swivel  sinker  and  float  should  be 
gaged  according  to  your  ground.  The  leader  should 
be  three  or  four  feet  in  length,  with  a  Limerick  or 
Kh'by  hook  from  0  to  3,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
fish  to  be  taken..  Double  leaders  are  often  necessary. 
Use  your  own  judgment  in  this  respect.  In  boat- 
fishing,  the  float  is  not  usually  used,  and  the  sinker 
should  be  light  enough  to  float  off  Avith  the  tide,  but 
at  the  same  time  to  touch  bottom  at  all  times.  By 
this  mode  you  will  get  large  fish,  as  the  large  ones 
are  generally  nearest  the  bottom. 

The  best  place  for  fishing  bass  is  the  quietest  place 
you  can  find,  and  at  full  neap  tide.  When  this  tide 
occurs  early  in  the  morning,  or  late  in  the  afternoon, 
and  if  the  wind  is  off  shore  and  a  gentle  ripple  on 
the  water  you  may  take  bass  very  easily,  and  in 
abundance.  In  rivers,  get  in  the  exact  channel,  or 
over  some  deep  cove,  near  an  outlet  of  a  brook,  or 
some  small  stream. 

In  the  waters  near  New  York  City,  the  striped 
bass  begins  to  bite  well  early  in  April.  At  this  sea- 
son shrimp  is  the  best  bait,  especially  in  salt  water 
In  fresh  water  they  will  bite  shad  roe  at  this  season. 
[»\   June  you   must  begin   to   use  soft    shell  crab 


26  THr    STRIPED    BASS. 

though  they  will  usually  bite  at  shrimp  until  about 
the  first  of  August.  The  mode  of  fishing  with  crabs 
difiers  a  little  from  the  other,  inasmuch  as  the  bait 
should  now  lie  on  the  bottom,  whereas  in  the  case  of 
shrimps  it  is  suspended  near  the  bottom.  A  sliding 
sinker  is  now  used,  and  the  float  dispensed  with  al- 
together. About  the  first  of  October  you  again  re- 
sort to  shrimps,  as  the  shell  of  the  crab  now  begins 
to  harden.  The  Killey  fish  is  also  used  now,  in  salt 
water,  which  is,  in  fact,  preferable  to  the  shrimp  for 
large  fish.  In  fiesh  water  you  should  use  the  white 
opened  soft  clam.  But  the  bass  is  very  whimsical 
and  dainty.  In  some  places  he  will  jump  greedily 
at  a  clam  bait,  while  at  others  he  will  take  nothing 
but  shrimp  or  crab.  *  There  is  a  beautiful  little  fish 
called  the  spearing  which  is  fished  with  at  certain 
places  in  salt  water,  with  great  success.  In  the 
Hudson  river,  the  largest  and  finest  bass  are  taken 
with  set  lines,  as  follows :  Two  stakes  are  driven  in 
the  bottom  of  the  river  at  a  certain  distance  apart, 
and  a  strong  cord  is  stretched  across.  To  this  cord 
is  attached  short  lines  at  convenient  distances,  with 
strong  hooks,  bated  with  tom-cod  or  other  small  fish. 
In  this  way  the  very  largest  bass  are  taken  in  great 
abundance. 

Trolling  for  bass  is  excellent  sport,  and  is  practiced 
a  good  deal  by  amateurs.     The  tackle  employed  is 
a  strong  hand  line,  and  artificial  bait  is  lised  with 
good  success.    This  consists  of  silver  plated  "  spoons,' 
or  bits  of  mother  pearl  worked  into  a  proper  shape, 


THE    BLACK    BASS.  27 

and  o^Ler  ingenious  contrivances  to  Le  had  at  tlie  fish- 
ing-tackle stores.  Squid  are  also  an  excellent  bait 
for  trolling.  To  fasten  the  squid  to  your  hook,  you 
should  use  a  needle  and  waxed  linen  thread.  Take 
•  off  the  skin  of  the  squid,  and  pull  out  the  spine — 
then  insert  the  needle  through  the  opening  made  by 
the  spine,  and  in  this  way  fasten  your  hook  so  the 
point  will  pass  through  near  his  eye — commence 
sewing  him  onto  the  hook  from  his  tail,  and  stitch  up 
to  his  neck.  This  is  so  troublesome  a  process  that 
few  sportsmen  use  it;  but  very  large  fish  are  taken 
in  this  manner. 

The  Oswego  Bass,  and  Black  Bass. 

There  are  two  distinct  species  of  the  black  bass, 
which  are  so  near  alike  that  it  is  hard  to  distinguish 
one  from  the  other,  unless  they  are  together.  The 
observable  difference  then  is,  that  the  Oswego  bass 
has  a  more  forked  tail,  is  thicker  at  the  shoulder,  has 
coarser  scales  and  larger  mouth.  This  latter  fish  is 
found  in  great  abundance  in  Lake  Ontaiio  and  par- 
ticularly at  the  mouth  of  Oswego  river,  which  gives 
him  his  name.  He  also  frequents  other  streams 
which  flow  into  Ontario.  The  black  bass  is  abun- 
dant in  Lake  Erie,  and  a  few  of  them  have  found 
their  way  into  Ontario,  probably  by  way  of  the 
canal,  as  it  is  not  supposed  that  any  one  could  sur- 
vive the  fearful  descent  of  Niagara  Falls.  These 
two  fish  are  alike  in  their  habits  and  peculiarities.  A 
third  species  of  black  bass  in  Lake  Huron,  grow 


28  THE    BLACK    '^ASS. 

larger  than  the  Oswego  species,  wLicli  seldom  Ojc- 
ceed  fifteen  or  sixteen  inches  in  length,  but  is  chuD by- 
shaped,  being  five  inches  broad,  and  two  or  more  in 
thickness.  The  black  color  of  this  fish  extends  the 
whole  length  of  the  back  and  sides,  growing  lighter 
as  it  comes  towards  the  belly,  and  in  some  cases  of  a 
yellowish  and  sometimes  of  a  greenish  hue.  It 
generally  feeds  on  small  fish,  which  it  takes  in  head- 
foremost, and  it  is  this  habit  that  enables  the  angler 
to  hook  them  easily.  It  will  bite,  at  certain  seasons, 
at  lobster,  and  muscles ;  and  a  peculiar  artificial  fly 
is  also  used,  at  times,  with  success. 

This  fish  begins  to  bite  at  Tonnawanda  in  the 
latter  part  of  May,  and  at  Oswego  early  in  June, 
and  at  about  the  same  time  in  the  more  western 
lakes.  They  continue  to  afi'ord  good  sport  for  a 
couple  of  months,  the  time  for  fishing  them  being 
early  in  the  morning  and  after  four  in  the  afternoon. 
In  August  they  are  spawning,  and  will  not  usually 
bite  at  all,  and  if  caught  are  poor  affairs.  In  Sep- 
tember and  October  they  may  be  taken  again,  and 
some  fine  ones  are  caught  in  the  latter  month. 

The  tackle  used  for  fishing  black  bass  is  similar  to 
that  described  for  striped  bass,  viz. :  a  stout  pliable 
rod,  with  reel,  and  some  two  hundred  feet  or  more 
of  flax  or  grass  line,  with  a  gut  leader  four  or  five 
feet  in  length,  and  a  Limerick  or  Kirby  hook.  For 
bait,  live  minnows  are  the  best  for  large  fish.  Fix 
your  hook  through  the  eyes  of  the  minnow  with  ex 
treme  care  not  to  touch  the  brain,  and  he  will  swim 


THB    BLACK    BASS.  29 

Almost  as  lively  as  ever.  In  some  parts  of  Michigan 
small  sun-fish  are  used  as  follows  :  After  running  the 
hook  through  the  end  of  the  nose  of  the  small  fish, 
sonceal  its  point  with  an  angle-worm.  On  being 
thrown  into  the  water,  other  sun-fish  will  throng 
round  the  captive,  being  attracted  by  the  worm. 
The  bass  darts  suddenly  among  them,  and  while 
those  that  are  free  escape  to  shallow  water,  the  bait 
is  seized  by  the  head,  and  the  bass  is  thus  easily 
hooked.  After  hooking  your  bass,  it  is  not  always 
that  you  catch  him.  Indeed  he  is  the  most  uneasy 
fish  imaginable  to  be  hauled  out  of  the  water,  and 
his  vigorous  and  pertinacious  struggles  for  liberty 
make  the  sport  of  fishing  him  excellent.  After  being 
hooked,  the  bass  will  often  rise  to  the  surface  and  leap 
into  the  air,  shaking  himself  violently  to  dislodge  the 
hook.  At  other  times  he  will  turn  suddenly  towards 
the  angler,  slacking  the  line,  and  in  this  way  detach- 
ing himself  from  the  hook  by  floundering  about.  It 
is,  therefore,  necessary  to  be  careful  to  keep  your 
line  taut  by  means  of  the  reel ;  and  with  proper  care 
and  expertness  in  this  respect  you  will  land  your 
fish.  A  large  artificial  fly  of  gay  appearance,  is  also 
an  excellent  bait,  and  next  to  the  live  minnow.  You 
can  usually  get  the  fly  at  a  fishing-tackle  store,  or 
if  you  make  it  yourself,  the  body  should  be  of  pea- 
cock feather,  and  scarlet  wings  tipped  with  white 
pigeon  feathers.  The  scarlet  is  what  attracts  the 
fish,  and  be  sure  to  put  that  on  your  fly.  Small 
frogs  and  craw-fish  are  sometimes  used  for  bait ;  and 


30  THE    BLACK    BASS. 

in  May,  in  the  rivers,  they  -will  bite  angle-worms. 
The  bait,  in  all  cases,  should  be  kept  in  motion,  as 
in  that  way  it  attracts  the  attention  of  the  bass,  and 
he  darts  -at  it  very  suddenly. 

Trolling  for  black  bass  is  excelleijt  sport,  and  six 
pounders  are  sometimes  caught  in  this  way.  You 
may  use  the  spoon  with  good  success,  or  a  few  white 
feathers  with  scarlet  cloth  fixed  up  to  imitate  a  gray 
insect  will  answer.  In  Lake  George,  trolling  is  the 
favorite  sport,  and  the  bass  caught  are  usually  frpm 
one  to  four  and  a  half  pounds  weight. 

In  Niagara  river,  near  its  confluence  with  Lake 
Erie,  both  black  bass  and  perch  are  taken  in  the 
summer  season  in  untold  thousands  with  the  hook 
and  line,  both  by  professional  fisheiman  and  ama- 
teurs. Trolling  is  the  favorite  scientific  way  of 
catching  them.  You  take  a  hght,  clinker-built  boat 
of  some  twelve  or  fifeen  feet  long,  ^t  Buffalo  oi 
Black  River,  enter  the  river  a  mile  below,  go  down 
the  current  three  miles  to  opposite  the  head  of  Grand 
Island,  then  bait  and  throw  out  your  hooks,  slowly 
drift  down  the  river  near  the  island  shore,  and  by 
the  time  you  reach  Falconwojod,  if  it  is  a  good  day 
and  you  are  an  expert  angler,  you  draw  up  half  a 
dozen  to  twenty  beautiful  bottle-green  victims,  giving 
you  all  the  play  to  land  them  securely  in  your  boat 
that  the  most  ardent  Waltonian  would  desire.  They 
are  from  two  to  four  pounds  in  weight,  fat  as  a  clam, 
and  delicious  as  the  shad  or  the  tautog.  This  is  the 
very  poetry  of  bass-fishing. 


SPOTTED    BASS    AND   SALMON    TROUT.  31 

The  Red-fish  or  Spotted  Bass. 
Tills  is  a  Southern  fisli,  being  caught  in  nearly  all 
the  inlets  of  the  Atlantic  below  Baltimore,  and  in 
those  of  the  Northern  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
At  these  latter  points  he  is  called  the  red-fish,  be- 
cause, in  death,  he  changes  to  variegated  reddish 
colors.  His  color,  in  life,  is  light  silvery,  and  near 
the  tail  is  usually  one  dark  spot,  which  looks  unnatu- 
ral, and  as  though  it  came  there  by  accident.  Some 
of  them  have  three  or  four  of  these  dark  spots  in  a 
cluster.  When  taken  as  far  North  as  Charleston,  he 
is  called  the  spotted  bass,  a  name  derived  from  these 
spots  on  the  tail.  In  North  and  South  Carolina,  he 
begins  to  bite  in  March,  and  is  then  fished  for  all 
through  the  rest  of  the  year,  and  sometimes  in  Jan- 
uary. In  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  you  can  get  red-fish 
the  year  rourid.  He  runs  in  shallow  water,  and  at 
the  extreme  South  is  taken  with  a  small  sized  cod- 
hook,  and  shrimp  bait,  or  pieces  of  mullet  will  some- 
times answer.  With  a  rod  and  reel,  you  may  follow 
the  directions  given  for  weak-fish  or  striped  bass, 
using  No.  00  Limerick  or  Kirby  hooks,  and  twisted 
gut  leaders. 

The  Mackinaw  Trout,  or  Salmon  Trout. 

This  is  a  fish  of  excellent  flavor,  and  some  people 
consider  it  fully  equal  to  salmon.  The  flesh  is  red- 
dish, and  hence  it  is  often  called  the  salmon  trout. 
The  color  is  dark  or  dusky  grey,  back  and  sides 
sprinkled  with  spots  somewhat  lighter,  belly  light 


32  THE   SALMON   TROUT. 

brown  or  cream  color — the  teeth,  gums,  and  roof  of 
the  mouth  having  a  bright  purple  tinge.  It  is  a  large 
fisli,  usually  averaging  from  two  to  five  feet  in  length, 
and  inhabits  all  the  great  lakes  in  the  West,  as  well 
as  the  smaller  lakes  in  the  Northern  part  of  the  State 
of  New  York.  It  is  entirely  different  from  the  com- 
mon lake  trout,  so  abundant  in  some  of  the  Western 
lakes. 

Sportsmen  always  take  the  salmon  trout  by  trol- 
ling, or  by  set  lines.  For  the  latter  they  use  the 
largest  sized  cod-hooks  and  cod-lines,  and  for  bait, 
bits  of  lake  herring  or  white  fish  are  all  that  is  neces- 
sary. In  trolling,  both  tackle  and  bait  are  different, 
the  minnow  being  chiefly  used  for  bait.  If  you  use 
a  rod  it  should  be  a  stout  one  with  a  hollow  butt,  and 
an  extra  top,  which  could  be  replaced  in  case  of 
breakage.  The  line  should  be  of  a  leng-th  adapted 
to  the  ground — firmly  made  of  cotton  or  strong  flax 
— and  your  leader  should  be  of  twisted  gut  a  yai'd 
or  more  in  length.  A  No.  1  Limerick  salmon  hook 
is  generally  used,  with  live  bait,  and  No.  3  or  4  hook 
in  fly  fishing.  A  light  swivel  sinker  is  necessary 
when  the  fish  run  in  deep  water.  In  trollhig  use 
swivels  freely  to  keep  your  line  from  getting  tangled. 
When  you  have  a  bite,  slack  the  line  a  little  to  allow 
the  fish  to  gorge  his  bait,  then  begin  to  pull  steadily, 
after  arranging  everything  in  a  proper  manner  to  en- 
able you  to  play  your  fish.  A  gaff  is  generally  used 
for  securing  the  fish  after  he"  is  brought  to  the  sur 
face.     In  fly  fishing  the  largest  and  most  gaudy  sal 


THE   SALMON    TROUT.  33 

mon  flies  are  generally  chosen,  attached  to  No.  3  or 
No.  4  salmon  hooks.  Trolling  for  salmon  trout  is 
most  excellent  sport,  and  amateurs  sometimes  spend 
a  whole  month  at  a  time  in  the  wilds  of  Northern 
New  York  in  pursuing  it. 

There  is  a  new  method  for  fislung  the  salmon  trout, 
by  using  what  is  called  a  train  of  hooks,  being  a  row 
of  hooks  fastened  on  a  large  round  piece  of  gut, 
about  an  inch  apart.  Three  or  four  hooks  are  gene- 
rally used,  though  some  sportsmen  use  six  seven. 
They  should  be  hooked  in  different  parts  of  bait,  one 
in  the  mouth,  one  in  the  tail,  and  others  in  tough 
parts  of  the  shiner.  The  size  of  the  hooks  used  are 
No.  5,  Limerick  salmon,  or  No.  1  trout.  The  mouth 
hook  is  on  a  loop,  so  it  can  be  moved  and  adapted  to 
any  length  of  bait.  The  tail  hook  is  fastened  on 
the  end  of  the  gut.  To  ensure  success  you  should 
have  an  experienced  hand  to  row  your  boat  in  trol- 
ling for  this  fish.  The  necessary  tackle  can  gene- 
rally be  procurred  at  the  tackle  stores,  as  it  is  a  fa- 
vorite and  delightful  amusement  for  amateurs. 

The  Black  Trout. 

This  is  a  fish  rather  coarse  in  flesh ;  but  in  outward 
appearance  it  resembles  the  black  bass  of  the  North- 
ern lakes.  His  back  is  very  dark,  and  the  sides 
gradually  grow  lighter  around  to  his  belly,  which  is 
white.  He  has  a  large  head  and  mouth,  with  pro- 
jecting under  jaw.  He  is  found  only  in  Southern 
waters,  and  may  be  taken  in  most  of  the  streams  in 
3 


34  THB    BLACK    TROUT. 

the  Southern  states.  One  peculiarity  of  tliis  fisli,  en- 
tii'ely  different  from, the  black  bass,  is  that  they  medi- 
tate, at  times,  near  the  surface  of  the  water,  getting 
near  logs  or  lilly-pads,  so  they  can  dive  out  of  the 
way  at  the  least  alarm.  In  this  position  they  are 
baited  with  success  with  a  small  fish  called  the  horny 
head.  The  ordinary  tackle  used  for  the  black  trc  ut 
is  similar  to  bass  tackle,  viz. :  a  pliable  rod  eight  or 
ten  feet  long,  with  a  silk,  grass  or  flax  line,  and  reel 
— lurby  hook  No.  2,  or  Lhnerick  No.  1,  attached,  to 
strong  gut  leaders.  .  For  bait,  the  mimiow,  and  the 
Killey  fish,  or  the  roach  is  better  when  you  can  get  it. 
He  will  not  bite  at  all  unless  the  water  is  clear. 
Artificial  bait  is  often  used  in  taking  the  black  trout, 
as  follows — a  fcincy  fly  made  m  red  and  white  colors, 
either  feathers  or  flannel,  and  fixed  on  a  Liraeiick 
salmon  hook  No.  3  or  4.  This  sliould  be  attached 
to  a  long  line ;  and  with  a  light  reed  pole,  the  sports- 
man should  whip  it  along  on  the  water,  when  the 
fish  will  dart  at  it  and  get  hooked.  The  time  for 
fishing  the  black  trout  is  from  April  until  June,  and 
from  September  dovm  to  winter  weather.  They 
spawn  in  July  and  August,  and  do  not  bite  at  all  in 
those  months. 

The  Cat-fish. 

This  is  a  fresh  water  bottom  fish  found  in  streams 
and  ponds  all  over  the  United  States.  There  are 
several  kinds  of  them,  which  vary  in  size  from  a 
couple  of  inches  in  length  up  to  those  monsters  of 


'mm  :iui'" 


THE    CAT-FISH.  35 

the  same  species  wliicli  inhabit  the  mud  banks  of  the 
Mississippi  river,  and  the  great  Western  lakes.  The 
common  cat-fish  is  of  a  dusky  color  on  the  back, 
which  gradually  lightens  towards  the  belly,  the  belly 
itself  being  of  a  light  greyish  hue.  The  sides  of  the 
head  are  greenish,  and  some  species  of  them  have 
small  prickly  horns.  They  are  taken  in  great  abun- 
dance, and  their  size  varies  with  the  size  of  the 
stream,  or  the  richness  of  their  feeding  ground.  In 
good  situations  in  large  rivers  they  weigh  from  one 
to  four  pounds.  In  the  Mississippi,  and  the  lakes 
of  Northern  New  York,  they  grow  to  twenty,  thirty, 
fifty,  and  even  one  hundred  pounds.  It  is  an  easy 
matter  to  catch  cat-fish.  You  have  only  to  procui'e 
tackle  strong  enough  to  draw  them  out  of  the  water, 
using  a  hook  according  to  the  expected  size  of  your 
game.  A  single  or  double  ^ut  leader  is  necessary, 
according  to  the  strength  required.  Minnows,  pieces 
of  fish,  shad-roe,  wonns,  toasted  cheese,  insects,  pieceg^ 
of  meat  or  liver,  chickens  offal — any  of  these  baits 
will  attract  the  cat-fish.  You  can  fish  with  hand 
lines,  or  with  a  rod,  as  you  may  prefer.  The  proper 
hook  is  the  Limerick  salmon  from  No.  1  to  5,  ac- 
cording to  the  size  of  your  fish.  They  do  not  bite 
very  vigorously,  but  perform  a  series  of  fine  nibbles, 
similar  to  the  bite  of  an  eel.  The  cat-fish  is  an  ex- 
cellent pan  fish  when  properly  cooked.  In  St.  Louis 
the  large  ones  are  sold  in  market  like  our  large  sea- 
fish,  being  cut  up  in  steaks  of  the  size  desired  by  the 
purchaser.     They  are  plentiful  always  in  mud  bot- 


36  THE    HAKE    OR   STOCK-FISH. 

toms,  above  mill-dams,  and  in  coves  of  the  river. 
The  large  ones  are  often  taken  by  trolling  with  arti- 
ficial squid  or  fly.  The  time  for  fishing  r;at-fish  b<>» 
gins  in  Aplil,  and  lasts  until  cold  weather. 

The  Hake. 

Tliis  is  an  Irish  salt  water  fish,  similar  in  appear- 
ance to  the  torn  cod.  In  Galway  bay,  and  other  sea 
ijilets  of  Ireland,  the  hake  is  exceedingly  abundant, 
And  is  taken  in  great  numbers.  It  is  also  found  in 
England,  and  France.  Since  the  Irish  immigration 
♦o  America,  the  hake  has  followed  in  the  wake  of 
their  masters,  as  it  is  now  found  in  New  York  bay, 
in  the  waters  around  Boston,  and  off  Cape  Cod 
Here  it  is  called  the  stock-fish,  and  the  Bostonians 
call  them  poor  Johns.  [Poor  Pats  would  be  more 
appropriate.]  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  until  within 
a  few  years  this  fish  was  never  seen  in  America.  It 
does  not  grow  so  large  here  as  in  Europe,  though 
here  they  are  from  ten  to  eighteen  inches  in  length. 
They  are  fished  for  by  day  or  by  night,  and  bite  the 
most  readily  when  the  tide  is  running  strong,  either 
out  or  in.  The  tackle  used  is  similar  to  that  des- 
cribed for  black  fish,  the  hook  being  No.  4  Limerick 
salmon.  Shrimp,  clams  or  crabs — either  of  them  is 
good  bait.  The  general  color*of  this  fish  is  a  reddish 
brown,  with  some  golden  tints — the  sides  being  of  a 
pink  silvery  lustre.  It  is  exceedingly  voracious,  and 
affords  considerable  sport  in  fishing,  though  our 
Bportsmen  seldom  go  in  pursuit  of  it. 


SALT-WATER    FISHING.  87 

The  Sea  Bass  and  "Porgj, 
These  salt  water  fish  are  eaught  in  immense  quan- 
lities  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  bay  on  what  are 
called  the  Fishing  Banks.  In  the  summer  months, 
which  is  the  time  for  fishing  them,  steamboats  are 
daily  leaving  New  York  to  accommodate  fishing  par- 
ties. The  tackle  used  is  a  hand  line  of  flax  or  hemp 
twelve  to  eighteen  fathoms  long,  with  several  hooks 
attached,  ten  to  fifteen  inches  apart.  The  hooks  for 
the  porgy  should  be  the  black  fish  hook  No.  3,  and 
for  sea  bass,  the  Kirby  pattern.  No.  1.  Provide  your- 
self with  a  goodly  number  of  hooks,  as  you  are  apt 
to  lose  them  in  various  ways.  You  should  have  a 
lead  sinker  weighing  three  quarters  of  a  pound  or 
more.  Clam  bait  is  the  only  kind  necessary,  and  if 
you  salt  it  a  little  it  will  be  tougher  and  stick  better 
to  the  hook.  You  should  watch  your  lines  cautiously, 
and  jerk  them  strongly  at  each  bite  to  hook  your 
fish,  or  you  may  lose  your  bait.  The  fish  thus  taken 
average  from  one  to  four  and  a  half  pounds,  and  it 
frequently  happens  that  two  or  three  are  drawn  out 
of  the  water  together.  You  will  thus  see  the  neces- 
sity of  having  very  strong  tools,  and  also  of  wearing 
an  old  pair  of  leather  gloves  to  preserve  your  hands 
from  blistering  while  drawing  up  your  fish. 

The  White  Bass. 
This  is  a  very  fine  fish,  somewhat  resembling  the 
white  perch,  though  larger.     It  is  found  in  the  lakes 
of  Northern  New  York,  and  also  in  some  of  the 


38  BASS   AND   PERCH. 

more  Western  lakes.  Its  back  is  dark,  witli  wliite 
sides  and  belly,  and  with  narrow  darkish  stripes  run- 
ning lengthwise  on  the  sides.  The  size  of  this  fish 
is  from  10  to  15  inches,  and  it  usually  weighs  from 
one  to  four  pounds,  though  larger  ones  are  sometimes 
taken.  The  striped  bass  tackle  is  used  in  fishing  it, 
but  it  a  very  skittish  fish,  and  to  catch  it  requires  a 
good  deal  of  tact  and  caution.  If  you  succeed  in 
finding  a  good  ground,  however,  you  may  have  ex- 
cellent luck,  as  this  fish  moves  in  schools,  and  when 
not  frightened,  will  bite  readily  at  the  live  minnow. 
The  season  fof  fishing  them  is  in  May  and  June,  and 
in  the  fall  months  after  the  middle  of  September. 
They  are  exceedingly  lively  on  the  hook,  and  afford 
H  good  deal  of  sport. 

The  White  or  Silver  Perch. 

This  fish  is  very  plentiful  in  the  Harlem  river. 
New  York  city,  and  is  also  taken  in  some  of  the 
Long  Island  ponds,  as  well  as  in  the  Hudson  river, 
in  the  Schuylkill,  and  in  many  of  the  streams  of  Con- 
necticut. It  probably  frequents  other  soft  water 
streams  and  lakes,  though  we  are  not  well  enough 
acquainted  with  its  haunts  to  give  any  definite  infor- 
mation. It  moves  in  schools,  and  when  in  the  mood 
will  dart  at  the  bait  in  the  liveliest  manner,  some- 
times springing  entirely  out  of  the  water  when  seeing 
\t.  The  tackle  to  be  used  for  this  fish  is  about  the 
lame  as  that  used  for  the  yellow  perch,  and  the  bait 
^  the  small  minnow,  or  the  Killy,  or  shiner,  thougli 


THE   SILVER    PERCH    AND   SMELT.  39 

worms  are  sometimes  used.  The  hooks  should  be 
Nos.  1  to  3  trout.  They  bite  most  readily  early  in 
the  morning  in  shallow  water  near  the  shore,  but  are 
often  taken  at  mid-day  on  bars  near  to  deep  water. 
At  sundown  the  white  perch  may  be  found  on  the 
sunny  side  of  the  stream,  or  lake,  and  will  then  bite 
with  the  same  eagerness  as  in  the  morning.  His  bite 
is  different  from  that  of  the  ordinary  yellow  perch, 
as  when  he  gets  hold  of  the  bait  he  drags  the  float 
under  and  keeps  it  there.  When  fishing  from  a  boat, 
the  best  way  is  to  drift  along  down  the  stream, 
throwing  your  hook  in  every  nook  and  corner ;  and 
where  you  once  get  a  bite,  anchor  your  boat,  and 
fish  as  long  as  you  have  luck.  You  may  be  quite  as 
fortunate  by  rowing  up  the  stream  and  trying  the 
same  process  over  again.  This  fish  always  prefers 
sunshine  to  shade. 

The  Smelt. 

In  the  United  States  this  fish  seldom  exceeds  ten 
inches  in  length,  and  the  usual  size  is  from  five  to 
eight  inches.  In  South  •  America  they  grow  to  the 
length  of  two  feet,  are  semi-transparent,  and  are 
toost  delicious  eating.  Some  of  them  caught  by 
American  sailors  at  the  Straits  of  Magellan  were 
thirty  inches  long  by  eight  inches  round  the  body. 
The  smelt  is  exceedingly  plentiful  in  the  waters 
around  Boston,  and  they  are  also  taken  in  the  rivers 
of  New  Jersey  and  the  ponds  of  Long  Island.  They 
are  of  a  pale  green  color  on  the  back,  with  silvery 


40  SMELT   AND    PERCH. 

sides,  and  a  satin  band  running  along  the  sides. 
Thej  may  be  called  a  sea  fish,  though  they  run  up 
fresh  water  streams  in  the  spring  to  spawn.  They 
are  caught  in  October  and  November,  and  in  the 
winter  months  by  breaking  holes  in  the  ice.  The 
tackle  used  for  the  smelt  is  a  silk,  or  silk  and  hair 
line,  with  Limerick  trout  hooks  Nos.  2  to  5,  on  single 
gut  leaders.  The  sinker  should  be  pretty  heavy  to 
overcome  the  tide.  Shrimp  bait  is  generally  used,  or 
small  pieces  of  minnow  or  frog  will  answer.  If  yoii 
wish  to  fish  them  through  a  hole  in  the  ice,  take  a 
piece  of  small  brass  wire  a  foot  and  a  half  long,  put 
it  through  a  •  piece  of  lead  for  a  sinker,  and  fasten 
your  hooks  at  both  ends.  Tie  on  a  cotton  or  flax 
line  and  then  drop  your  hooks.  You  can  use  three 
or  four  of  these  lines  at  different  holes,  setting  them, 
while  you  are  either  skating  or  running  round  to  keep 
warm.  In  this  way  you  will  get  a  fine  string  of 
smelts  in  a  short  time.  Smelts  will  live,  breed  and 
thrive  when  transferred  to  fresh  water  ponds ;  and 
by  some  people  these  fresh  water  smelt  are  considered 
the  best  eating.  They  live  a  long  time  out  of  water, 
and  hence  are  good  eating  after  being  carried  long 
distances. 

The  Yellow  Pike  Perch. 

The  color  and  appearance  of  this  fish  show  it  to 
be  a  true  perch,  though  its  form  and  habits  are  like 
the  pike,  or  pickerel.  Its  back  is  of  a  yellowish 
olive,  the  sides  lighter,  but  mottled  with  black,  the 


PIKE    AND    CHUB.  41 

belly  white,  and  the  head  of  a  brownish  color,  mot- 
tled with  green.  This  fish  is  taken  in  great  abun- 
dance in  some  of  the  Western  lakes  and  rivers,  in- 
cluding the  Susquehanna  and  its  tributary  streams, 
and  in  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk  is  called  the  Mo- 
hawk pike.  He  is  exceedingly  voracious,  and  with 
proper  tackle  and  bait  is  easily  caught.  A  bass  rod 
and  tackle  is  the  proper  one,  with  Limerick  salmon 
hook  Nos.  4  or  5.  The  bait  should  be  a  live  minnow 
or  shiner.  The  size  of  the  fish  varies  from  ten  to 
twelve  inches  in  length,  weighing  from  two  or  three 
pounds  to  ten,  twelve  and  even  twenty  pounds.  In 
rivers  they  frequent  the  neighborhood  of  swift  run- 
ning water,  and  in  lakes  they  are  found  in  deep  holes, 
and  under  weeds,  stumps,  &c.  The  yellow  pike  is 
an  excellent  table  fish,  and  highly  prized  at  the 
West,  where  they  are  caught  in  great  abundance. 
It  spawns  in  April  and  May. 

The  Chub. 

This  fish  is  not  very  common,  and  being  exceed- 
ingly timid  and  scary,  is  seldom  taken  except  by  ex- 
perienced anglers.  He  is  found  in  the  streams  and 
ponds  of  Western  Massachusetts,  in  Otsego  Lake, 
3^ .  Y.,  the  Passaic  river,  N.  J.,  and  in  some  parts  of 
Pennsylvania.  He  conceals  himself  in  deep  holes, 
under  projecting  ledges  of  rocks,  roots  of  trees,  &c., 
and  to  fish  for  him  successfully,  it  is  necessary  to  get 
a  position  near  some  such  place  as  one  of  these.  The 
chub  has  a  large  head,  greenish  back,  silvery  sides, 


42  THE    SUCKER. 

white  belly,  and  fins  tinged  with  yellowish  red.  His 
length  is  usually  from  five  to  nine  or  ten  inches, 
though  in  some  places  he  grows  larger.  The  tools 
used  in  fishing  him  are  the  usual  trout  tackle  and  rod, 
baited  with  the  common  angle  worm  in  the  spring, 
or  grasshoppers  in  summer.  They  are  also  taken  in 
summer  with  the  difFerent  artificial  flies  made  for 
trout.  In  spring  and  fall  they  bite  at  worms  only. 
In  winter  they  are  taken  in  lakes  and  ponds  by 
making  a  hole  in  the  ice,  and  baiting  with  clieese, 
for  the  want  of  worms. 

The  Sucker. 

There  are  a  great  many  difFerent  species  of  the 
sucker,  and  some  of  them  will  not  bite  or  nibble  at 
any  bait  whatever.  He  is  usually  a  white  silvery 
fish  with  dark  spine,  and  a  peculiar  puckery  mouth. 
He  goes  by  vaiious  names  in  difierent  parts  of  the 
country,  and  frequents  almost  every  stream  and  lake, 
large  or  small,  throughout  the  Union.  The  kind  that 
does  not  bite  is  sometimes  taken  with  wire  slip-noose, 
but  as  that  is  not  legitimate  sport,  we  do  not  deem 
it  necessary  to  particularize  the  manner.  The  regu- 
lar trout  tackle  and  hooks  are  used  in  fishing  the 
sucker  everywhere,  and  worms  are  the  proper  bait, 
though  he  will  bite  at  shad-roe  in  the  spring  season. 
There  is  a  kind  of  black  sucker,  taken  in  Lake  Erie, 
wliich  goes  by  the  name  of  the  shoemaker.  A  red- 
tail  sucker  in  some  of  the  Western  rivers  is  called 
the  red-horse.     A  long  species  of  sucker  in  the  Ohio 


^ARP   OR   PERCH.  43 

river  is  called  the  carp — an  excellent  fish,  and  .which 
affords  a  good  deal  of  sport.  In  the  Delaware  river 
the  sucker  has  larger  scales  than  those  caught  else- 
where. As  a  general  thing  the  sucker  is  not  es- 
teemed highly  as  a  tahle  fish,  nor  is  there  usually 
much  sport  in  fishing  them.  They  suck  in  the  hait, 
and  thus  nibble  at  the  hook.  They  are  not  very 
lively  when  pulled  up,  and  unless  cooked  immedi- 
ately their  flesh  grows  soft. 

Buffalo  Carp,  or  Perch. 

This  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  Mississippi,  Missouri, 
and  Ohio  rivers,  and  is  also  found  in  some  of  the 
other  large  rivers  of  the  West.  He  resembles  the  salt 
water  porgy  in  appearance,  though  in  reality  more 
plump  and  round.  He  is  of  a  smutty  silvery  color, 
and  usually  varies  in  size  from  ten  to  fifty  inches  in 
length,  though  in  the  Mississippi  he  grows  larger. 
He  is  easily  taken,  and  the  tackle  required  is  a  strong 
flax  or  hemp  line,  with  a  stout  bent  hook  of  the  size 
Nos.  1  or  2  salmon.  The  sinker  should  be  heavy 
enough  to  carry  your  bait  to  the  bottom.  The  bait 
used  for  the  Buffalo  carp  is  soft  cheese.  To  fasten 
it  properly  to  your  hook,  you  must  work  it  up  with 
common  cotton  batting,  or  raw  cotton.  He  is  easily 
caught,  and  is  extensively  sold  in  the  market  in 
western  river  towns,  being  a  very  good  table  fish. 

Why  this  fish  is  called  a  perch,  we  are  unable  to 
trace,  or  to  ascertain,  as  it  has  not  the  least  resem- 
blance to  any  other  individual  of  the  perch  family. 


44  THE   WEAK-FISH. 

The  Weak-fish,  or  Wheat  Fish. 

This  is  a  sea-fish  found  only  in  Northern  waters 
chiefly  those  of  New  York  and  Massachusetts.  The 
head  and  back  is  of  dark  brown  color,  with  a  green- 
ish tinge.  The  sides  are  of  a  faint  silvery  hue,  with 
dusky  specks,  and  the  belly  is  white.  Some  people 
suppose  the  name  (weak-fish)  to  have  originated  in 
the  apathy  of  the  fish  after  being  hooked,  but  this  is 
not  so,  for  he  frequently  makes  the  most  determined 
and  energetic  struggles  to  escape.  It  is  either  a  per- 
version of  wheat-fish. — which  nanle  originated  in  the 
fact  that  harvest  time  is  the  period  to  fish  them,  or 
else  in  the  peculiar  weakness  of  the  muscles  of  his 
mouth.  He  is  usually  handsome  looking,  and  is  ex- 
cellent eating,  but  his  flesh  is  softer  than  that  of 
some  of  the  best  of  our  pan-fish,  which  is  an  objec- 
tion. The  common  size  of  this  fish  is  twelve  to 
fifteen  inches  in  length,  though  in  some  instances  he 
grows  larger.  His  feeding  ground  is  the  same  as 
tlie  striped  bass  in  salt  water,  and  they  are  often 
caught  with  the  bass;  but  the  weak-fish  never  goes 
into  fresh  water.  An  angler  for  bass,  if  not  success- 
ful, has  only  to  arrange  his  tackle,  and  drop  his  line 
a  little  deeper  to  catch  this  fish. 

The  bait  used  for  weak-fish  is  the  shedder-crab 
and  the  shnmp,  and  sometimes  he  will  bite  freely  at 
a  clam  bait.  You  should  fish  them  at  evening  tide, 
when  the  tide  is  pretty  well  in,  two  hours  before 
sunset.  A  large  No.  1  light  Kirby  hook,  or  a  slightly 
curbed  Limerick,  are  the  kind  used.     Tackle  sinulai 


LARGE    LAKE    PIK^.  45 

to  tliat  used  for  bass.  Weak-fish  are  taken  very 
easily,  and  in  gi'eat  abundance  in  New  York  bay, 
and  the  water  adjacent..  Also  in  the  inlets  of  New 
Jersey,  and  in  those  of  Massachusetts. 

The  Muskellunge,  or  Lake  Pike. 

This  inhabitant  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  the 
Northern  and  Western  lakes,  grows  from  one  to 
three  feet  in  length,  according  to  the  breadth  of  wa- 
ter that  he  is  found  in.  Built  like  a  pike,  he  is  of  a 
deep  greenish  brown  color,  dark  back,  and  pale  sides 
spotted  Tvath  greenish  spots.  In  fishing  for  the 
smaller  sizes,  your  tackle  should  be  similar  to  that 
used  for  pickerel;  but  for  large  ones  you  want  a  good 
sized  cod  Ime,  with  a  cod  hook  to  match.  He  will 
bite  greedily  at  various  baits — a  bit  of  fish,  a  slice  of 
pork,  a  bundle  of  worms,  or  chicken  o£Pal,  a  small 
fish,  or  a  frog,  &c.  It  requires  a  good  deal  of  care, 
caution  and  physical  exertion  to  land  him.  He  is  a 
beautiful  game  fish,  and  is  the  best  eating  fish,  next 
to  the  salmon  trout,  that  inhabits  the  lakes. 

The  muskellunge  (long-face  of  the  French)  is  a 
noble  fish.  He  is  an  enormous  pike,  with  the  lower 
projecting  jaw  armed  with  needle  teeth  clear  into  the 
throat,  ranging  from  five  to  forty  pounds  weight, 
agile  as  lightning,  and  a  perfect  water  tiger  among 
the  smaller  fishes.  No  more  beautiful  fish  to  look 
upon  than  he,  nor  one  so  destructive  to  the  finny 
tribes,  cjeaves  the  water.  The  Niagara  river  abounds 
in  them — or  rather  they  are  plentier  in  the  Niagara 


46  LARGE    LAKE    PIKE. 

than  in  any  other  water  we  wot  of.  They  are  caught 
here  chiefly  with  the  seine,  but  occasionally  with  the 
hook,  in  trolling ;  and  when  you  do  get  fairly  hold 
of  a  twenty-pounder,  look  out !  Ten  to  one — ^unless 
y©u  are  a  thorough  expert,  and  give  him  a  long  play, 
wearying  him  out,  and  foiling  his  prodigious  efforts 
at  escape,  with  your  gaff-hook  or  dip-net  at  hand — 
he  snaps  your  line,  or  breaks  your  hook  and  escapes 
forever !  This  fish  is  an  acrobat  for  feats  of  agility. 
He  no  sooner  feels  the  barbed  steel  in  his  gullet,  than 
he  commences  a  series  of  writhings  and  contortions 
that  would  astonish  an  "  India-rubber  man.'*  He 
makes  a  semi-circle  of  himself,-  and  then  springs  back 
to  a  "  normal'*  position  as  suddenly  as  a  tense  bow 
when  the  string  is  cut.  He  zig-zags*  horizontally, 
darts  upwards,  darts  downwards,  spins  round,  turns 
somersaults,  and  finally,  if  all  these  dodges  fail, 
launches  his  lithe  body,  with  a  quiver,  six  feet  into 
the  air,  and  coming  down  head  foremost,  darts  off  at 
a  right  angle  like  a  streak  of  lightning.  If  this  last 
manoeuvre  does  not  break  the  tackle,  the  muskellunge 
gives  in,  and  suffers  himself  to  be  lifted  out  of  the 
water  without  betraying  the  slightest  emotion.  But 
for  all  that,  in  dislodging  the  hook  from  his  mouth, 
look  out  for  the  clicvaux  de  frisc  that  guards  the  en- 
trance— the  spikes  are  sharp.  A  sharp  customer  is 
your  muskellunge,  but  a  more  delicate  fish — flesh 
white  as  snow,  and  savory  as  an  oyster,  well  boiled, 
and  served  upon  the  dinner-table  with  proper  sauces 
— does  not  exist. 


THR    BLUE    FISH,  47 

Trolling  for  Blue  Fish. 
The  blue-fish  is  taken  exclusively  in  salt  water, 
and  only  through  the  three  summer  months,  at  which 
time  he  comes  in  from  the  sea.  They  are  generally 
iished  by  trolling,  though  in  some  places  on  Long ' 
Island,  experienced  fishermen  take  them  with  a  rod 
on  shore.  The  tackle  is  very  easily  prepared,  and 
costs  but  little,  and  the  fish  bite  readily  and  are 
caught  without  much  trouble.  A  sail  boat  is  neces- 
sary, and  if  you  want  good  sport,  you  should  pro- 
cure a  guide  who  knows  the  ground  where  the  blues 
delight  to  congregate.  A  large  size  cotton  line  is 
used,  and  it  should  be  very  strong,  and  100  to  150 
feet  in  length.  An  artificial  squid  made  of  bone, 
mother-of-pearl,  or  metal,  is  the  tempting  bait.  It 
should  be  four  inches  long,  of  flat  oval  shape,  and 
should  have  a  good  sized  Kirby  hook  on  the  end. 
The  size  No.  0000  is  about  right.  The  hook  must 
be  so  placed  that  its  point  is  on  a  range  with  the  flat 
side  of  the  squid.  Let  the  boat  be  sailed  some  four 
or  ^ve  miles  an  hour,  and  should  you  be  able  to  dis- 
cover the  exact  position  of  the  school,  (they  usually 
go  in  schools,)  you  must  cross  and  re-cross  the  spot 
constantly,  as  the  fish  will  not  generally  be  moving 
about.  "  When  a  fish  is  struck,  the  line  should  be 
pulled  in  steadily — do  not  jerk  it,  or  let  it  slack,  or 
you  may  lose  your  fish.  On  getting  the  fish  in  hand, 
you  can  easily  shake  him  qjS  the  hook  by  holding 
your  squid  with  the  hook  uppermost.  Always  haul 
in  your  line  when  tacking  the  boat,  or  you  may  lose 


18  THE    BLUE    FISH. 

your  squid  in  the  grass  at  the  bottom.  The  grounds 
for  blue-fish  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  city  are  in 
Fire  Island  Inlet,  Soutli  Bay,  opposite  Babylon  and 
Islip,  Long  Island,  and  also  in  Pine  Neck  Inlet,  op- 
posite Quogue,  at  the  East  end  of  Long  Island. 
Shrewsbury  Inlet  is  also  a  good  place  for  fishing  the 
blue-fish. 

The  down-east  fishermen  use  the  common  pewter 
spoon,  in  trolling  for  blue-fish,  which  they  call  a  jig. 
It  is  used  in  the  same  manner  as  the  squid  before 
described.  In  pulling  in  the  blue-fish,  you  must  not 
let  your  line  slacken  in  the  least,  and  you  should  lift 
him  into  the  boat  the  moment  he  gets  alongside. 
Sportsmen  who  neglect  this  precaution  will  lose  full 
half  their  fish  by  their  disengaging  themselves  from 
the  hook. 

The  blue-fish  is  singularly  erratic  in  its  hahits. 
A  century  ago  it  was  plentiful  on  our  coast,  and  was 
held  in  high  estimation  as  an  article  of  food.  During 
the  last  half  of  the  last  century  and  earlier  years  of 
this,  it  disappeared  entirely.  Within  forty  years  it 
has  returned,  first  appearing  on  the  coast  south  of 
Cape  Cod,  near  Natucket,  New  Bedford  and  Martha's 
Vineyard.  In  course  of  time  it  made  its  way  into 
Massachusetts  Bay,  and  appears  to  be  gradually 
working  to  the  northward.  They  have  passed  Cape 
Ann  within  a  year  or  two,  though  not  in  great  num- 
bers, and  a  few  have  been  seen  as  far  north  as  the 
Isle  of  Shoals,  off  Portsmouth.  They  are  very  plen- 
tiful off  Montauk  Point,  Long  Island. 


THE    POLLOCK.  49 

The  blue-fish  belongs  to  the  mackerel  family. 
The  upper  part  of  his  bodj  is  of  a  bluish  color, 
whence  his  name ;  the  lower  part  of  the  sides  and 
the  belly  are  whitish  or  silvery. 

The  Pollock. 

This  is  a  salt  water  fish  of  beautiful  appearance 
and  singularly  elegant  shape.  It  is  taken  all  along 
the  Northern  Atlantic  coast,  from  Long  Island  to 
Newfoundland.  From  its  agility  and  fine  form,  the 
Bay  of  Fundy  fishermen  often  call  it  the  "sea-sal- 
mon.'* It  has  a  strongly-defined  silvery  line  running 
down  the  sides.  Above  the  lateral  line  the  color  is 
a  greenish  black.  The  belly  is  white.  The  time  for 
fishing  it  is  in  the  spring  and  fall.  Jeffries  Ledge, 
which  lies  fifteen  or  sixteen  miles  east  by  north  of 
Cape  Ann,  is  a  favorite  fishing  ground  for  pollock, 
and  immense  quantities  are  taken  there  in  the  fall  of 
the  year.  Formerly  the  fish  was  very  little  prized, 
was  hardly  ever  eaten  fresh,  and  was  so  carelessly 
cured  that  it  had  a  low  reputation  in  the  market. 
Within  a  quarter  of  a  century  it  has  come  into  use, 
and  is  a  favorite  article,  particularly  when  salted  and 
dried.  The  pollock  grows  to  the  size  sometimes  o* 
thirty  pounds,  but  the  average  weight  of  those  taken 
in  deep  water  is  ten  pounds.  In  shallow  water,  the 
weight  varies  from  a  pound  and  a  half  upwards.  The 
tackle  used  for  black-fish  is  the  kind  wanted  for  fish- 
ing pollock,  the  hooks  and  lines  varying  with  the 
depth  of  water. 

4 


50  SEA    PERCH. 

The  Cunner,  or  Sea  Perch, 
The  cunner,  or  nipper  (so  called  from  tlieir  nip- 
ping bite)  is  a  sea  fish  found  all  along  the  Atlantic 
coast,  from  Delaware  Bay  to-  Newfoundland.  They 
are  caught  most  plentifully  near  rocky  shores,  and 
are  supposed  to  feed  chiefly  on  Crustacea.  They  are 
very  annoying  to  the  fisher  for^autog  or  rock  cod,  as 
they  swarm  plentifully  and  take  off  with  great  readi- 
ness the  bait  intended  for  larger  prey.  They  make, 
however,  an  excellent  and  favorite  pan  fish,  and  there 
are  two  or  three  old  fishermen  at  Swampscott  who 
devote  themselves  entirely  to  catching  cunners  in  the 
cunner  season,  that  is,  from  the  middle  of  June  to 
the  middle  of  September,  and  selling  them  in  the 
Boston  market.  They  are  from  five  inches  to  two 
feet  in  length,  and  in  color  no  two  are  exactly  alike. 
The  general  color  is  black  mixed  with  brown,  w^th 
faint  transverse  bars  of  an  uncertain  dusky  hue. 
Large  ones  sometimes  show  a  light  orange  tint 
throughout  the  whole  body,  with  the  head  and  gill- 
cover  of  a  chocolate  color  mixed  with  light  blue,  and 
with  blue  fins.  \  I  have  seen  specimens  thirteen 
inches  in  length,  weighing  a  pound,  so  black  as  to 
be  hardly  distinguishable  at  the  first  glance  from  the 
tautog  or  black-fish,  while  others,  equally  large,  were 
throughout  of  a  vivid  light  yellow,  varied  with  spots 
and  bars  of  shades  of  the  same  color.  They  are 
fished  for  with  the  usual  black-fish  tackle,  and  clam 
bait.  In  fact  they  will  bite  at  any  bait  used  in  fish- 
ing sea  fish. 


KING    FISH    AND    EEL.  51 

The  King-fish  or  Barb. 
This  is  a  salt  water  fish  sixteen  or  eighteen  inches 
m  length,  and  weighing  from  one  to  two  pounds.  His 
haunts  are  very  uncertain,  and  habits  little  known. 
In  color  he  is  of  a  bluish  light  brown,  with  a  silvery- 
gloss,  and  covered  with  spots  darker  than  the  general 
color.  He  is  thick  and  stout  about  the  throax,  and 
gradually  slopes  towards  the  tail.  He  is  found  in 
places  similar  to  those  frequented  by  the  bass,  weak- 
fish,  &c.,  and  the  tackle  used  in  fishing  him  is  about 
the  same,  except  the  hook,  which  should  be  smaller, ' 
say  a  Limerick  or  Kirby  salmon  hook  No.  4.  He  is 
probably  the  best  sporting  fish  to  be  caught  in  salt 
water,  being  so  lively  and  determined  when  on  the 
hook.  The  summer  months  is  the  time  for  fishing 
the  barb,  and  the  bait  used  is  the  shedder  crab. 
Do  not  use  too  large  a  hook,  as  his  mouth  is  small. 
He  runs  deeper  than  either  the  bass  or  the  weak-fish. 

The  Eel. 
Every  kind  of  eel  is  spawned  in  salt  water,  and 
the  young  ones  generally  begin  to  run  up  the  fresh 
water  streams  as  early  as  April,  though  when  spring 
is  backward  they  do  not  start  until  May.  The  young 
eel,  when  he  begins  his  journey,  is  about  the  size  of 
a  Sadler's  needle,  and  the  way  he  works  himself  up 
over  the  cascades  and  mill-dams  is  very  curious.  He 
exhausts  the  atmosphere  under  his  body,  then  lifting 
his  tail,  which  is  flat,  over  his  head,  repeats  the  ope- 
ration, and  raises  his  head  another  lift,  and  so  on.    In 


52  THE    EEL. 

this  way  tliey  ascend  waterfalls  and  swift  streams 
with  great  ease.  The  ground  which  they  select  for 
a  rendezvous  is  stil]  deep  water,  with  a  soft  bottom. 
There  are  two  kinds  of  the  eel  which  frequent  fresh 
water  streams  and  ponds.  The  best  and  handsomest 
has  a  small  head,  with  a  tapering  mouth — a  beautiful 
white  belly,  and  is  pretty  thick  and  fat  in  the  middle 
in  proportion  to  his  size.  This,  in  Connecticut  river, 
is  called  the  silver  eel.  Their  flesh  is  light  and  of 
delicious  flavor,  unlike  the  flesh  of  the  other  kind, 
and  when  full  grown  are  from  two  to  tb^v^e  feet  long. 
The  other  description  of  eel  to  wliich  we  have  al- 
luded has  a  large  mouth,  with  the  under  jaw  extend- 
ing beyond  the  upper.  His  head  is  lar^jcr,  and  his 
tail  broader  and  flatter,  his  belly  of  yellowiah  tinge, 
and  his  flesh  of  a  bluish  color,  which  requfms  a  good 
deal  of  cooking  to  make  it  palatable.  Th\s  kind  is 
the  most  plentiful,  and  frequents  stagnant  muddy 
bottoms,  while  the  "  silver*'  species,  though  tLey  like 
soft  bottoms,  yet  prefer  to  be  near  running  water. 
The  eel  breeds  in  the  latter  end  of  winter,  and  in  no 
case  does  he  deposite  his  sp"wn  in  ponds,  lakes,  or 
rivers. 

In  angling  for  eels,  you  use  a  flax  line,  \\hich 
should  be  protected  near  the  hook  with  gimp  or  wire. 
The  eel  hook  is  used,  of  a  size  according  to  the  ex- 
pected size  of  your  fish.  The  Vne  should  be  of  a 
length  suited  to  the  depth  of  the  water,  with  sinker 
attached,  and  almost  any  pole  of  convenient  heft  will 
answer.     If  you  are  fishing  in  fresh  wat<i»',  common 


^  THB    EEL.  63 

*ngle-worms  are  good  bait,  though  they  will  bite 
i-eadilj  at  shad-roe,  pieces  of  fish,  or  at  frogs,  entrails 
of  chickens,  &c.  In  salt  water,  clams,  bits  of  fish, 
shrimp,  &c.,  are  used.  They  are  taken  in  salt  water 
without  a  hook,  as  follows  :  Take  some  white  horse 
hairs  and  work  them  into  a  kind  of  bag,  which  is 
filled  with  shad-roe  or  soft  crab.  In  swallowing  this 
bait  the  eel  will  entangle  the  horse-hairs  in  his  teeth, 
and  may  be  landed  before  he  can  get  clear  of  them. 

Bobbing  for  eels  is  done  as  follows :  The  bob  is 
made  by  stringing  a  lot  of  angle-worms  on  a  strong 
thread  (stout  worsted  yarn  or  linen  thread  is  the  best) 
and  winding  the  string  into  a  ball  on  the  end  of  your 
line,  which  is  sunk  by  an  appropriate  sinker  to  the 
bottom.  The  eels  will  fasten  themselves  on  this  ball, 
and  you  can  then  carefully  and  slowly  pull  up  the 
line,  while  they  still  retain  their  hold.  After  you 
get  them  to  the  top  of  the  water,  you  may  by  a 
steady  sudden  jerk,  land  several  at  once.  It  requires 
some  practice  and  expertness  to  do  the  thing  cleverly. 
Some  fishermen  use  a  fine  scoop  net,  instead  of  jerk- 
ing out  the  eels  in  the  manner  described. 

Pot-fishing  for  eels  is  a  very  simple  process,  and 
is  practiced  by  those  only  who  get  a  living  by  fishing. 
A  long  coarsely  made  circular  basket  is  used,  with 
ends  like  inverted  cones.  The  basket  is  usually 
three  or  four  and  a  half  feet  long,  and  seven  or  eight 
inches  through.  At  the  end  of  the  cones,  which  run 
inward,  are  holes  just  big  enough  for  the  eel  to 
squeeze  through,  anc  when  he  once  gets  in  he  is  not 


54  THE    EEL. 

apt  to  find  his  way  out  again.  The  basket  is  well 
baited  with  the  entrails  of  fowls,  or  of  fish,  with  bits 
of  fish,  or  meat,  shad-roes,  or  almost  any  offal.  One 
end  comes  off  to  admit  this  bait.  Weights  sufficient 
to  sink  the  basket  close  to  the  bottom  should  first  be 
tied  well  inside  so  it  will  lay  flat  on  its  side,  and 
strong  cords  fastened  to  it  to  enable  you  to  lower  it 
to  the  proper  place,  as  well  as  to  raise  it  when  it  is 
full  of  eels.  Eel-traps  like  these  will  sometimes  take 
several  dozen  at  a  time. 

Spearing  eels  is  another  mode  which  fishermen 
employ  to  advantage.  The  spears  are  forced  down 
in  the  mud  where  the  eels  have  buried  themselves, 
and  in  some  places  eels  are  taken  in  great  abun- 
dance in  this  way.  You  can  spear  from  a  boat,  or 
while  wading  in  the  water  where  it  is  shallow  enough 
The  eel  spear  has  several  flat  prongs,  and  takes  the 
eel  as  described  in  the  engraved  representation  be- 
low. These  spears  can  be  purchased  at  the  fishing- 
tackle  stores,  or  an  expert  blacksmith  can  make  them. 
Hhe  prongs  are  of  steel. 


HOW  TO  CATCH  THE  FLOUNDER.       65 

The  Flounder. 

This  is  an  odd-looking  fish,  his  belly  being  on  one 
Bide  and  his  back  on  the  other.  He  is  shaped  some- 
thing like  the  sun-fish  or  pumpkin  seed,  and  on  the 
edges,  where  the  belly  and  back  of  an  ordinary  fish 
would  naturally  be,  he  has  continuous  fins  from  neck 
to  tail.  The  back  is  of  a  dark  color,  both  eyes  being 
on  that  side,  and  guaged  to  look  upwards  at  an  angle 
about  one-fifth  forward  from  perpendicular ;  and  his 
belly  is  usually  white.  The  size  of  the  flounder  va- 
ries from  five  to  fifteen,  and  sometimes  to  twenty-four 
inches  in  length,  the  breadth  being  about  one-half  the 
length.  Their  feeding  ground  is  the  soft  mud  of  the 
bottom,  near  to  bridge  spiles,  docks,  and  other  bot- 
tom incumbrances,  and  they  are  sometimes  found  on 
bass  grounds.  They  feed  on  the  spawn  of  fishes, 
and  on  muscles  and  insects. 

The  time  for  fishing  the  flounder  is  the  spring  and 
fall  months.  In  the  summer  he  may  be  taken,  but 
his  flesh  is  soft  and  unwholesome.  He  will  bite  at 
almost  anything  used  in  salt  water  for  fish  bait,  and 
in  fishing  him  you  may  use  any  kind  of  tackle.  A 
email  hook  is  however  necessary — ^No.  8  being  the 
usual  size.  Flounders  are  an  excellent  fan  fish ;  but 
they  should  be  cooked  as  soon  as  possible  after  being 
taken.  They  are  very  plentiful  on  the  shores  of 
Long  Island  Sound,  in  New  York  Bay,  and  in  the 
inlets  of  New  Jersey.  The  Boston  market  is  abun- 
dantly supplied  with  them  from  the  numerous  fishing 
grounds  of  that  neighborhood. 


!>6  CODFISH    AND   SHEEPSHEAD. 

The  Cod  Fish. 

This  salt  water  fish  is  caught  is  great  abundance 
in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  on  the 
Great  Banks.  It  swims  in  immense  schools,  and  is 
very  easily  taken.  In  the  spring  the  cod  will  bite 
in  the  most  greedy  manner,  and  if  your  tackle  be 
strong  enough,  you  can  catch  enormous  quantities, 
and  of  very  large  size.  The  mud  clam,  or  the  moss 
bunker,  either  of  them  will  answer  for  bait.  Your 
line  should  be  very  stout,  and  made  of  cotton  or 
hemp,  100  to  150  feet  long,  with  the  largest  size 
black-fish  hook,  or  a  regular  cod  hook  of  small  size. 
The  sinker  should  weigh  two  or  three  pounds.  Cod 
are  not  at  all  particular,  and  are  not  easily  frightened. 
It  sometimes  happens  that  one  may  be  lost  ofi"  the 
hook  by  tearing  the  cartilege  of  his  mouth.  This 
same  fish,  with  his  mutilated  muzzle,  will  be  just  as 
apt  to  bite  again  the  next  moment.  They  are  fished 
for  with  hand  lines,  from  boats,  in  all  cases. 

The  cod  fish,  when  fresh,  is  excellent  eating, 
whether  boiled  or  fried.  It  is  a  standard  dish  at  tbe 
hotels  and  eating  houses  in  Boston  and  New  York. 

The  Shecpshead, 

This  is  one  of  the  very  best  of  salt  water  fish,  and 
like  many  others,  only  visits  shore  in  summer.  Tht 
time  for  fishing  him  is  from  the  first  of  June  until  th 
middle  of  September.  The  Sheepshead  is  a  squatty 
shaped  fish  of  a  dull  silvery  color,  and  with  dark 
bands  running  from  his  back  to  his  belly.    His  weight 


THE    SHEEPSHEAD.  67 

IS  usually  two  or  three  pounds — sometimes  four  and 
a  half.  The  form  of  his  face,  which  is  somewhat 
smutty,  is  supposed  to  resemble  the  physiognomy  of 
a  sheep,  though  for  the  life  of  us  we  never  could  see 
the  resemblance.  The  teeth,  however,  do  look  like 
sheep^s  teeth,  and  this  may  be  the  more  rational 
cause  of  its  name.  These  teeth  enables  a  iish  of  good 
size  to  crunch  the  shell  of  a  crab  with  ease.  They 
are  usually  found  on  reefs,  or  about  large  rocks, 
where  they  feed  on  the  soft  clam,  and  the  small  rock 
crab,  which  articles  are  used  for  bait  in  fishing  the 
sheepshead.  The  tackle  wanted  is  a  stout  hemp  or 
cotton  line,  100  to  150  feet  long,  with  a  black-fish 
hook  of  the  largest  size.  The  clam  must  be  put  on 
whole,  without  breaking  the  shell.  Insert  your  hook 
through  its  stem,  and  bury  it  entirely  in  the  body  of 
the  clam.  He  takes  the  whole  clam  in  at  a  mouth- 
ful, and  chews  it,  shell  and  all.  If  you  use  crabs, 
take  the  same  precaution  as  with  clams.  Sometimes 
opened  clams  (soft  or  hard)  are  used,  but  they  should 
be  of  very  large  size,  to  attract  the  fish's  attention. 
He  will  also  bite  at  the  worm,  the  minnow,  the  chub, 
and  the  lobster.  When  you  have  struck  a  sheeps- 
head, you  must  be  exceedingly  cautious  while  play- 
ing him,  or  you  may  lose  your  game.  He  makes  the 
most  desperate  efforts  to  get  free,  frequently  bunting 
his  head  against  a  rock  so  as  to  break  the  hook. 

Of  late  years  this  fish  has  become  scarce  in  the 
Lung  Island  waters,  and  experienced  fishermen  are 
in  the  habit  of  tolling  (hem  to  certain  haunts  by 


58  THK    BLACK    FISH. 

throwing  in  soft  clams.  In  tliis  way  they  are  brought 
BO  near  to  shore  as  to  he  taken  with  a  stout  rod,  and 
strong  tackle,  though  the  usual  mode  of  fishing  them 
is  from  a  boat  with  a  hand  line.  When  using  the 
rod,  you  should  have  a  landing  net,  or  you  may  lose 
all  your  fish.  They  generally  go  in  schools,  and  if 
you  catch  one  you  may  get  a  good  string  of  them. 
They  are  considered  by  some  people  the  best  eating 
sea  fish  that  is  caught,  though  their  meat  is  a  little 
tough.  If  cooked  properly,  they  do  make  an  excel- 
lent dish.  They  should  be  split  in  slices  and  broiled 
on  the  gridiron.  The  sheepshead  is  caught  in  nearly 
all  the  rocky  places  round  Long  Island.  Regular 
fishermen  use  nets  and  spears  with  good  success. 
Spearing  them  by  torchlight  is  a  favorite  amusement 
with  some  sportsmen. 

The  Black  Fish. 

This  fish  was  called  the  tautog  by  the  Indians.  It 
is  caught  in  the  vicinity  of  Massachusetts  and  New 
York  Bays,  in  Long  Island  Sound,  and  in  nearly  all 
the  inlets  of  Rhode  Island.  Of  late  years,  black 
fish  have  increased  in  numbers,  notwithstanding  the 
numbers  caught  to  supply  the  Boston  and  New  Yorlr 
markets.  The  upper  end  of  Long  Island  is  a  famous 
place  to  catch  them.  Their  feeding  ground  is  gene- 
rally on  rocky  bottoms,  and  reefs,  though  they  are 
caught  in  other  places.  It  is  a  singular  fact  that 
those  found  close  in  on  rocky  reefs  are  shorter  or 
more  chubby,  and  of  a  darker  color,  than  those  thai 


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THE   BLACK    FISH.  69 

sport  in  the  running  tide.  The  color  is  a  deep  bluish 
black  on  the  back  and  sides,  with  light  belly.  The 
usual  size  0/  the  black  fish  varies  from  one  to  three 
pounds,  though  larger  ones  have  been  caught.  Eight 
and  ten  pounders  are.reported  to  have  been  taken  in 
Ehode  Island. 

Black  fish  are  usually  caught  with  hand  lines  from 
a  boat,  though  your  true  sportsman  prefers  his  rod — 
a  stiff  one  some  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  long.  A  flax 
line  of  ten  to  thirty  yards  in  length,  with  slide  sinker, 
and  triple  gut  snells,  is  all  that  you  want.  You  can 
dispense  with  the  gut  if  you  wish,  as  the  fish  is  not 
timid  or  wary,  and  a  plain  flax  leader  of  ten  to  fifteen 
inches  in  length,  will  answer.  You  can  catch  them 
with  almost  any  kind  of  a  hook  from  No.  10  down- 
wards. They  frequent  eddies  made  by  the  running 
tide,  and  there  watch  for  shrimps  or  small  crabs. 
By  dropping  your  line  back,  and  letting  it  run  with 
the  tide  through  an  eddy,  you  are  generally  success- 
ful. As  soon  as  the  fish  bites  in  earnest,  pull  up, 
starting  your  pull  by  a  quick  motion  to  fasten  the 
hook  in  his  mouth,  which  is  tough  and  hard.  The 
baits  used  are  shrimp,  soft  crab,  shedder  lobster,  soft 
clam,  ordinary  clam,  &c.  The  crabs  and  lobsters 
are  the  best.  If  a  thunder  storm  comes  up  while 
you  are  fishing  for  black  fish,  you  may  as  well  go 
home,  as  you  will  not  be  apt  to  catch  any  more  that 
day.  A  school  of  porpoises  will  frighten  them  so 
that  they  will  leave  for  the  day.  There  is  a  good 
deal  of  sport  in  catching;  black  fish,  his  bite  is  so 


60  THE   MACKEREL. 

earnest,  and  he  is  so  readily  taken.  In  hand  line 
fishing,  many  sportsmen  have  a  hrass  ring  at  the  end 
of  their  line,  and  to  it  they  fasten  two  or  three  lead- 
ers, of  different  lengths,  sometimes  catching  two  fisb 
at  a  time  hy  this  means. 

The  black  fish  begins  to  bite  early  in  April,  and  is 
then  easily  taken.  As  the  hot  weather  comes  on  he 
is  not  very  fierce  for  a  bait,  but  yet  he  is  taken  all 
the  season  through,  until  the  cold  weather  benumbs 
him,  and  he  refuses  to  eat.  He  never  runs  into  fresh 
water,  but  remains  in  his  haunts  the  year  through. 
It  is  an  excellent  table  fish,  whether  stewed  or  fried, 
though  it  is  very  difficult  to  dress. 

The  Mackerel, 

This  fish  is  seldom  sought  after  by  amateur  an- 
glers, for  the  reason  that  he  does  not  frequent  bays 
or  inlets,  but  is  found  only  in  the  broad  ocean.  He 
is  nevertheless  a  game  fish,  and  his  capture  affords  a 
great  deal  of  sport.  The  professional  fishermen 
describe  the  mackerel  as  the  handsomest  fish  that 
swims,  and  the  most  active  on  the  hook.  The  season 
to  fish  mackerel  commences  about  the  first  of  May. 
A  fishing  smack,  which  can  cruise  with  safety  "  out 
at  sea,"  must  be  procured,  and  an  experienced  fish- 
erman who  knows  the  haunts  of  mackerel,  should  be 
engaged.  The  hook  used  is  called  the  mackerel 
hook.  It  is  about  the  size  of  No.  0  Limerick  salmon, 
but  shaped  a  little  different.  The  necessary  bait  is 
only  a  piece  of  red  flannel,  or  red  cloth.     They  cap 


HUi\TING    THE   SHARK.  61 

also  be  taken  by  trolling,  with  a  tin  squid,  or  jig. 
This  is  an  oblong  piece  of  bright  block  tin,  with  a 
hook  fastened  on  the  end  of  it,  and  a  swivel  on  the 
end  of  your  line.  The  tin  sldtters  along  on  the  sur- 
face, and,  being  mistaken  by  the  mackerel  for  a 
shiner,  he  darts  at  it  and  is  instantly  hooked.  The 
«port  is  excellent,  as  the  fish  bites  so  readily  and  so 
fiercely. 

Shark,  and  Devil  Fishing. 

Shark  fishing  is  a  stupendous  sport  resorted  to  by 
persons  who  have  a  hankering  after  excitement. 
Parties  who  go  on  shark-fishing  expeditions,  engage 
a  vessel  for  the  purpose,  together  with  experienced 
hands  as  assistants.  The  ship-chandler  furnishes 
them  with  lines,  while  a  blacksmith  is  engaged  to 
make  hooks,  swivels,  &c.,  of  the  sizes  wanted.  The 
line  is  a  strong  hemp  cord  made  for  the  purpose,  and 
hooks  of  various  patterns  are  used.  Almost  any 
shaped  hook  will  catch  a  shark,  provided  it  is  strong 
enough  to  hold  him.  When  you  get  to  your  shark- 
ing ground,  you  launch  your  small  boat,  and  tie  your 
line  to  the  stern.  The  hook  should  be  fastened  to 
it  by  a  chain  and  swivel,  and  is  baited  with  a  good 
sized  piece  of  beef  or  pork.  You  then  row  your 
boat  along  rapidly  until  you  get  a  bite.  Do  not  get 
too  far  from  your  vessel,  as  when  you  once  get  a 
bite,  and  hook  the  monster,  you  must  bring  him  along 
Bide  before  you  attempt  to  land  him,  or  he  may  upset 
f  ou  in  his  wrath. 


62  CARE   OF   TOOLS. 

Catching  the  devil-fish  is  a  favorite  amusement  of 
the  South  Carolinians.  These  monsters  frequent  the 
sounds  and  inlets  thereabout  in  schools,  and  are  killed 
in  various  ways — hj  harpooning,  shooting,  &c.  The 
sizes  of  the  fish  thus  taken  are  from  twenty  to  thirty 
feet  long.  After  being  struck  with  a  harpoon,  the 
devil-fish  will  sometimes  run  many  miles,  towing  a 
boat  full  of  men  after  him.  The  sport  of  taking 
them  is  very  exciting. 

Take  Care  of  Your  Tools. 

The  American  Angler^ s  Guide  gives  the  following 
precautions  relative  to  the  care  of  rods  and  lines : 
When  the  fishing  season  is  over,  your  rod  should  not 
be  thrown  carelessly  by,  but  be  cleaned,  nicely  oiled, 
and  put  away  in  a  cool  place,  in  readiness  for  the 
next  campaign.  The  best  of  wood  that  a  rod  can  be 
composed  of,  even  though  it  be  kiln-dried,  if  exposed 
a  length  of  time  in  a  dry  atmosphere  will  shrink 
some,  causing  the  ferules  and  guides  to  become  loose. 
A  moist  atmosphere  is  preferable  to  a  dry  one. 
When  rods  that  have  not  the  ends  covered  where  the 
joints  are  put  together,  become  by  a  day's  service 
swelled  and  dificult  to  separate,  hold  the  ferule  over 
a  candle  or  lighted  paper  until  it  becomes  sufficiently 
hot  to  dry  out  the  moisture,  and  the  parts  can  be 
easily  separated.  To  prevent  this  annoyance,  occa- 
sionally oil  the  wooden  part  that  is  let  into  the  socket. 

Lines. — ^Many  adepts  in  the  art  are  careless  and 
neglectful  of  their  lines,  often  leaving  them  (when 


FASTENL\a    ON    HOOKS.  63 

goaked  with  water)  on  their  rods,  in  wliicli  wet  state, 
if  they  long  continue,  they  are  apt  to  mildew  and 
rot.  Every  line,  immediately  after  being  used,  should 
be  run  off  from  the  reel  and  laid  out  freely,  or  stretch- 
ed on  pegs  to  dry.  Should  they  have  been  lying  by 
for  any  length  of  time,  they  should  be  thoroughly 
examined  and  tried  in  every  part  before  using.  Lines 
will  chafe  and  fray  out  by  constant  wear,  and  many 
large  fish  are  often  lost  by  carelessness  in  these  small 
but  important  matters. 

To  TIE  A  Hook  to  a  Gut  or  Line. — Prepare,  by 
waxing  with  shoemaker's  wax,  a  piece  of  strong  silk 
or  thread ;  take  your  hook  in  your  left  hand  between 
your  thumb  and  forefinger,  about  as  high  up  as  the 
point  of  the  barb  or  a  little  higher,  gis  you  may  fancy ; 
place  the  end  of  your  silk  under  your  thumb,  take 
three  or  four  random  but  firm  turns  around  the  shank 
of  the  hook  until  you  reach  the  end  (for  the  purpose 
of  preventing  the  gut  being  cut  by  the  hook,  and 
moreover  that  your  gut  may  stick  firmly  without  the 
possibihty  of  coming  off;)  now  lay  your  gut  or  line 
(the  inside  of  the  hook,  up)  on  to  this  winding,  holding 
it  with  the  end  of  the  thumb,  and  commence  whip- 
ping it  around  firmly  and  closely,  occasionally  press- 
ing the  turns  to  keep  them  even ;  continue  this  ope- 
ration until  you  get  within  three  or  four  turns  of  the 
finishing  point ;  in  order  to  fasten  firmly — give  three 
loose  turns,  then  insert  the  end  of  your  silk  under 
them,  and  drawing  it  through,  you  have  a  secure 
fastening,  called  the  hidd?n  knot.     Another  method 


64  MEiNDING    A    BROKEN    -OINT. 

of  finishing  when  you  have  arrived  at  the  fastening 
point,  is  to  make  two  or  three  half  hitch  knots ;  this 
is  done  by  passing  the  end  under  one  turn  of  the  silk, 
making  a  loop,  and  drawing  it  down.  The  hidden 
knot  is  the  better  and  most  secure  mode. 

To  REPAIR  A  Broken  Joint. — Should  you  be  so 
unfortunate  as  to  break  a  top  or  joint,  which  misfor- 
tune, brother  angler,  has  hajDpened  to  many  a  very 
careful  and  scientific  sportsman  before  you — ^proceed 
in  this  manner.  Take  your  two  broken  parts,  and 
with  your  knife,  or  a  plane  if  you  can  get  one,  smooth 
down  each  part  in  an  oblique  direction,  fitting  them 
closely  together,  and  rubbing  some  shoemaker's  wax 
on  to  the  parts  to  make  them  stick  ;  now  take  a  long 
length  of  waxed  thread  or  silk  and  wind  it  around, 
similar  to  the  commencement  of  hook-tying,  merely 
to  keep  the  parts  together,  continuing  it  a  little  be- 
yond the  extreme  end  of  the  fracture  ;  then  carefully 
and  firmly  whip  it  evenly  around  until  you  pass  the 
other  end  of  the  fracture;  here  halt,  and  wind  the 
three  last  turns  on  the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand, 
extended  for  that  purpose ;  now  pass  the  end  of  the 
silk  or  thread  under  the  windings,  carefully  drawing 
out  your  finger,  and  pull  it  through,  and  you  have 
the  hidden  or  inverted  knot,  as  before  described.  Be 
careful  in  finishing,  see  that  your  thread  does  not  get 
loose,  and  your  whippings  are  firm  and  even.  In  alJ 
cases  of  winding,  eee  that  your  silk  is  well  waxed. 

THE    END. 


THE   VERITABLE 

BLACK   ART! 

EXPOSED. 

A.  KEY  TO  THE  SECRETS  AND  MYSTERIES  OF  THE  OCCULT  SCI- 
ENCES AND  WITCHCRAFT.       THE  THEORY    AND  PRAC- 
TICE OF    MAGIC,    ALCHEMY,  NECROMANCY, 
ASTROOOGY,  CARTOMANCY,  &C. 

im-y  ]M[E]Z=LI_iIIsr  SEIOXJISriDXJS, 

(The  Greatest  Living  Alchemist.) 

The  most  complete  work  of   the  kind  ever  issued,   handsomely 
Illuustratedy  160  pages. 

PRICE,        -        -       30     CENTS. 


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MAaiC  AND  WITCHCRAFT, 
so  that  any  reader  can  learn  to  be  as  great  a  magician  as  thoso 
of  the  older  days  and  to  perform  all  the  miracles  of  the  ancient 
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Science  of  Fort\ine  Telling 

in  fifty  different  ways. 

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It  tells  all  about  Count  Cagliostro  and  explains 

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again.  How  to  carry  on  magical  ceremonies.  How  to  call  the 
dead  from  their  graves.  It  makes  known  the  secrets  of  Kose 
Croix.    It  explains  how  apparations  are  produced.     How  the 


demons  can  be  made  to  do  man's  work.     How  the  world  was 
made.     How  ghosts  are  produced  on  the  stage. 

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stir.^.  How  to  know  omens  for  good  or  bad.  To  know  the 
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To  learn  the  influence  of  the  stars.  How  to  cast  horoscopes, 
laflaence  of  the  Twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac.  Cartomancy  or 
Fartane-telling  by  cards.  Alphabet  of  destiny.  Prophetic 
v.ilu3  of  cards.  The  Italian  method  of  Fortune-telling.  French 
mathod  of  Fortune-tellmg.  Combination  of  cards.  How  to 
answcjr  a  question.  Will  my  thoughts  come  true  ?  Am  I  loved  ? 
Whom  shall  I  marry  ?  Is  (he  or  she)  faithful  to  me  ?  Fortune- 
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Fortuae-telling  by  Coffee  or  Tea  grounds,  explained.  For- 
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of  dreams  there  are.  Lucky  and  unlucky  days  of  the  month. 
Explanation  of  soma  dreams.  How  to  find  lucky  numbers  for 
lottery.  How  to  have  good  dreams  and  great  success.  Magic 
Wand  and  its  wonders  explained.  How  to  discover  hidden 
treasure.  How  to  find  water.  How  to  detect  gold  or  silver  ore. 
Fortane-telling  by  the  hand.  Prophetic  signs  on  the  hand. 
How  to  read  them  after  the  Gipsey  manner.  Napolean's  fortune 
told  by  the  hand.      Josephine's  brilliant   destiny  explained. 

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body.  To  know  a  man's  character  by  his  forehead,  eyes,  mouth, 
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nails,  water,  leaves  and  rings.  Shall  I  be  imprisoned?  Shall  I 
ba  lucky  on  this  day?  &c.,  &c. 

7SS^  No  Dream,  Fortune- Telling,  or  Magical  Book,  half  so 
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Sent  to  any  address,  on  receipt  of  price,  postpaid. 
Address,      ^ 

ADVANCE  PUBLISHING  CO., 
No.  152  WoBTp  St.,  N.   Y. 


A  Full  and  Clear   Expose  of  the  Great  Art  of  Money 
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mended, how  Rothschild  acquired  his  millions,  what  Ricardo 
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courses  in  respectable  callings. 

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washing,  late  hours,  indulgences,  changes,  irregularities,  diges- 
tion, clothing,  sleep,  ventilation,  bathing,  exercise,  the  lungs, 
recreation,  the  influence  of  the  passions,  telling  why  people  die, 
and  how  health  is  affected  by  occupations. 

It  instructs  concerning  the  properties  of  the  various  kinds  of 
food,  showing  what  they  contain — their  nitrogen,  their  carbon, 
their  phosphorus,  their  water  and  waste. 

It  instructs  what  food  gives  muscle  and  flesh,  what  gives  heat 
and  fat,  and  what  feeds  the  nerves  and  the  brain. 

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securing,  preserving,  and  j^romoting  the  health  of  body  and  mind. 

It  instructs  concerning  persons  who  have  made  large  fortunes 
in  what  are  called  ** specialities,"  and  how  others  may  "go  and 
do  likewise. "  n 

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merous items  of  information,  and  many  secrets,  any  one  of 
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CAUTION.  — The  public  are  particularly  requested  to  beware 
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j  Songster. 

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50  How    the    Old    Thing    Works 
Joker. 

HAND  BOOKS. 

Advance  Letter  Writer. 
Advance  Book  of  Fate,  or  Let  me 
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14  DAY  USE 

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4Sep'64Al 

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(E455oslO)4/6B                                       Berkeley 

yS   10516 


